diff --git a/app/services/ArchiveService.ts b/app/services/ArchiveService.ts
index 6223247..683187d 100644
--- a/app/services/ArchiveService.ts
+++ b/app/services/ArchiveService.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 import db from '@adonisjs/lucid/services/db'
 import logger from '@adonisjs/core/services/logger'
+import FileStore from '#services/FileStore'
 import IngestService from '#services/IngestService'
 import type { RarInfo } from '#lib/rar/index'
 import { fileStem, isGenericName, rarReleaseIdentity } from '#lib/release/index'
@@ -24,7 +25,7 @@ class ArchiveService {
   async record(file: any, binary: any, info: RarInfo): Promise<ArchiveResult> {
     const { next: _next, ...listing } = info
     const stored = { ...listing, entries: info.entries.slice(0, MAX_ENTRIES).map(({ stored: _s, dataOffset: _d, ...entry }) => entry) }
-    await db.from('files').where('id', file.id).update({ archive: JSON.stringify(stored) })
+    await FileStore.setDetails(Number(file.id), { archive: stored })
 
     let releaseId = file.release_id ?? binary?.release_id ?? null
     let grouped = false
diff --git a/app/services/ContentService.ts b/app/services/ContentService.ts
index 0f1345b..1b4bb5d 100644
--- a/app/services/ContentService.ts
+++ b/app/services/ContentService.ts
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ import { sevenZipVolume } from '#lib/sevenzip/index'
 import SevenZipService from '#services/SevenZipService'
 import SfvService from '#services/SfvService'
 import ArchiveWalkService from '#services/ArchiveWalkService'
-import { segmentsOf } from '#services/FileStore'
+import FileStore, { segmentsOf } from '#services/FileStore'
 import GarbageFilter from '#services/GarbageFilter'
 
 /**
@@ -136,7 +136,7 @@ class ContentService {
     if (await GarbageFilter.skipProbe(file)) return null
     if ((sevenZipVolume(String(file.real_name ?? file.filename)) ?? 0) > 1) {
       const volumes = await SevenZipService.volumes(file)
-      if (!volumes || volumes[0].archive) return null
+      if (!volumes || (await FileStore.details(Number(volumes[0].id))).archive) return null
       return this.prepare(Number(volumes[0].id))
     }
     const segments = segmentsOf(file)
@@ -185,7 +185,7 @@ class ContentService {
     if (!file) return result
     const binary = await db.from('binaries').where('file_id', task.fileId).first()
     const { contentType } = probe
-    await db.from('files').where('id', file.id).update({ content_type: contentType })
+    await FileStore.setDetails(Number(file.id), { content_type: contentType })
     if (contentType === 'missing') {
       // Nothing to read; the binary needn't wait for inspection any more.
       if (binary) await db.from('binaries').where('id', binary.id).update({ awaiting_inspection: null })
diff --git a/app/services/FileStore.ts b/app/services/FileStore.ts
index 6455593..7082d49 100644
--- a/app/services/FileStore.ts
+++ b/app/services/FileStore.ts
@@ -37,10 +37,35 @@ export function loadedSegments(stored: Buffer | null): Segment[] {
   return stored ? unpackSegments(stored) : []
 }
 
+/** What inspection learns about a file, kept beside `files` (LOG.md 2026-10-08 (14)). */
+export interface FileDetails {
+  content_type?: string | null
+  archive?: unknown
+}
+
+const DETAIL_COLUMNS = ['content_type', 'archive'] as const
+
 /** Rows per INSERT, well below Postgres' 65,535 bind parameters (tests lower it). */
 export const insertLimits = { rows: 2000 }
 
 class FileStore {
+  /** Sets some of a file's details, leaving the others as they are. */
+  async setDetails(fileId: number, details: FileDetails, client: Pick<QueryClientContract, 'rawQuery'> = db) {
+    const columns = DETAIL_COLUMNS.filter((c) => details[c] !== undefined)
+    if (columns.length === 0) return
+    const values = columns.map((c) => (c === 'archive' && details[c] !== null ? JSON.stringify(details[c]) : details[c]))
+    await client.rawQuery(
+      `INSERT INTO file_details (file_id, ${columns.join(', ')}) VALUES (?, ${columns.map(() => '?').join(', ')})
+       ON CONFLICT (file_id) DO UPDATE SET ${columns.map((c) => `${c} = excluded.${c}`).join(', ')}`,
+      [fileId, ...(values as any[])]
+    )
+  }
+
+  /** A file's details (empty when it has none). */
+  async details(fileId: number): Promise<FileDetails> {
+    return (await db.from('file_details').where('file_id', fileId).select('content_type', 'archive').first()) ?? {}
+  }
+
   /**
    * Inserts files, skipping those whose `file_key` exists. Returns the rows
    * that were inserted (id, filename, file_key). `files` is partitioned by id
@@ -88,12 +113,24 @@ class FileStore {
         return { ...file, segments: packSegments(sorted), first_message_id: sorted[0]?.id ?? null }
       })
     if (rows.length === 0) return []
+    // Details given with a new file (e.g. a known content type) go to file_details.
+    const details = rows.map((row: Record<string, unknown>) => {
+      const d: FileDetails = {}
+      for (const c of DETAIL_COLUMNS) if (c in row) (d as any)[c] = row[c]
+      for (const c of DETAIL_COLUMNS) delete row[c]
+      return d
+    })
     // A statement takes at most 65,535 parameters: ~5,400 rows of 12 columns.
     const inserted: { id: number; filename: string; file_key: string | null }[] = []
     for (let i = 0; i < rows.length; i += insertLimits.rows) {
       const chunk = await client.knexQuery().table('files').insert(rows.slice(i, i + insertLimits.rows)).onConflict().ignore().returning(['id', 'filename', 'file_key'])
       for (const row of chunk) inserted.push({ id: Number(row.id), filename: row.filename, file_key: row.file_key ?? null })
     }
+    const detailsByKey = new Map(rows.map((row: Record<string, unknown>, i: number) => [row.file_key ?? row.filename, details[i]]))
+    for (const row of inserted) {
+      const d = detailsByKey.get(row.file_key ?? row.filename)
+      if (d && Object.keys(d).length > 0) await this.setDetails(row.id, d, client)
+    }
     return inserted
   }
 }
diff --git a/app/services/GarbageFilter.ts b/app/services/GarbageFilter.ts
index 218fe20..53eaf3a 100644
--- a/app/services/GarbageFilter.ts
+++ b/app/services/GarbageFilter.ts
@@ -196,8 +196,8 @@ class GarbageFilter {
   async seed(percent: number): Promise<number> {
     const { rows } = await db.rawQuery(
       `SELECT DISTINCT ON (f.release_id) f.release_id, f.first_message_id, f.groups
-       FROM files f TABLESAMPLE SYSTEM (?)
-       WHERE f.content_type IS NOT NULL AND f.release_id IS NOT NULL AND NOT is_readable_name(f.filename)`,
+       FROM files f TABLESAMPLE SYSTEM (?) JOIN file_details d ON d.file_id = f.id
+       WHERE d.content_type IS NOT NULL AND f.release_id IS NOT NULL AND NOT is_readable_name(f.filename)`,
       [percent]
     )
     let added = 0
diff --git a/app/services/SearchService.ts b/app/services/SearchService.ts
index 4396c43..d1a0146 100644
--- a/app/services/SearchService.ts
+++ b/app/services/SearchService.ts
@@ -70,8 +70,8 @@ const VISIBLE_SQL = `(r.file_count > 0 OR r.source = 'spot')`
 
 /** Incomplete, and every file is a par2 file: nothing to download but repair data. */
 const PAR2_ONLY_SQL = `(r.file_count > 0 AND NOT r.complete AND NOT EXISTS (
-  SELECT 1 FROM files f WHERE f.release_id = r.id
-    AND f.content_type IS DISTINCT FROM 'par2' AND f.filename !~* '\\.par2$'))`
+  SELECT 1 FROM files f LEFT JOIN file_details d ON d.file_id = f.id WHERE f.release_id = r.id
+    AND d.content_type IS DISTINCT FROM 'par2' AND f.filename !~* '\\.par2$'))`
 
 /** A search word as an ILIKE pattern; dots, underscores, dashes and spaces are interchangeable. */
 function pattern(word: string): string {
diff --git a/app/services/SfvService.ts b/app/services/SfvService.ts
index 41513a5..0559da8 100644
--- a/app/services/SfvService.ts
+++ b/app/services/SfvService.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 import db from '@adonisjs/lucid/services/db'
 import logger from '@adonisjs/core/services/logger'
+import FileStore from '#services/FileStore'
 import { parseSfv, sfvReleaseName } from '#lib/content/index'
 
 /** Releases made by name rules alone; an SFV's listing outranks them. */
@@ -30,7 +31,7 @@ class SfvService {
       .insert(entries.map((e) => ({ release_id: releaseId, name: e.name, crc: e.crc, poster: sfvFile.poster, posted_at: postedAt })))
       .onConflict(['release_id', 'name'])
       .ignore()
-    await db.from('files').where('id', sfvFile.id).update({ content_type: 'sfv' })
+    await FileStore.setDetails(Number(sfvFile.id), { content_type: 'sfv' })
 
     const candidates = await db
       .from('files as f')
diff --git a/commands/ContentBackfill.ts b/commands/ContentBackfill.ts
index a904e5a..5f7d506 100644
--- a/commands/ContentBackfill.ts
+++ b/commands/ContentBackfill.ts
@@ -48,20 +48,20 @@ export default class ContentBackfill extends BaseCommand {
     try {
       while (!this.limit || queued < this.limit) {
         // Files never inspected: no fingerprint on their binary and no archive listing.
-        const query = db.from('files as f').where('f.id', '>', lastId)
+        const query = db.from('files as f').leftJoin('file_details as d', 'd.file_id', 'f.id').where('f.id', '>', lastId)
         // Files from NZBs (spots) have no binary.
         if (this.sevenZip || this.archives || this.sfv || this.nicovideo) query.leftJoin('binaries as b', 'b.file_id', 'f.id')
         else query.join('binaries as b', 'b.file_id', 'f.id')
         if (this.nicovideo) {
-          query.whereNull('f.content_type').whereRaw(`f.filename ~* '^\\d{9,11}_nicovideo_jp_watch_sm\\d+\\.tar\\.zst$'`)
+          query.whereNull('d.content_type').whereRaw(`f.filename ~* '^\\d{9,11}_nicovideo_jp_watch_sm\\d+\\.tar\\.zst$'`)
         } else if (this.sfv) {
-          query.whereNull('f.content_type').whereRaw(`coalesce(f.real_name, f.filename) ~* '\\.sfv$'`)
+          query.whereNull('d.content_type').whereRaw(`coalesce(f.real_name, f.filename) ~* '\\.sfv$'`)
         } else if (this.archives) {
-          query.whereNull('f.content_type').whereNull('f.archive').whereRaw(`coalesce(f.real_name, f.filename) ~* '\\.(rar|7z|7z\\.0*1|bin)$'`)
+          query.whereNull('d.content_type').whereNull('d.archive').whereRaw(`coalesce(f.real_name, f.filename) ~* '\\.(rar|7z|7z\\.0*1|bin)$'`)
         } else if (this.sevenZip) {
-          query.whereNull('f.archive').whereRaw(`coalesce(f.real_name, f.filename) ~* '\\.7z(\\.0*1){0,1}$'`)
-        } else if (this.archiveNzbs) query.whereRaw(`f.archive::text ~* '\\.nzb"'`)
-        else if (!this.all) query.whereNull('b.md5_16k').whereNull('f.archive')
+          query.whereNull('d.archive').whereRaw(`coalesce(f.real_name, f.filename) ~* '\\.7z(\\.0*1){0,1}$'`)
+        } else if (this.archiveNzbs) query.whereRaw(`d.archive::text ~* '\\.nzb"'`)
+        else if (!this.all) query.whereNull('b.md5_16k').whereNull('d.archive')
         const files = await query
           .orderBy('f.id')
           .limit(BATCH)
diff --git a/commands/FilesMoveDetails.ts b/commands/FilesMoveDetails.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..1b95d58
--- /dev/null
+++ b/commands/FilesMoveDetails.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,36 @@
+import { BaseCommand } from '@adonisjs/core/ace'
+import { CommandOptions } from '@adonisjs/core/types/ace'
+import db from '@adonisjs/lucid/services/db'
+
+/**
+ * One-off (LOG.md 2026-10-08 (14)): copies the content types and archive
+ * listings still on `files` into file_details, a partition at a time.
+ * Values written since the deploy (by the new code, into file_details) win:
+ * a file that has details already is skipped.
+ */
+export default class FilesMoveDetails extends BaseCommand {
+  public static commandName = 'files:move-details'
+  public static description = "Copies files' content types and archive listings into file_details."
+
+  public static options: CommandOptions = {
+    startApp: true,
+  }
+
+  public async run() {
+    const { rows: partitions } = await db.rawQuery(
+      `SELECT c.relname FROM pg_inherits i JOIN pg_class c ON c.oid = i.inhrelid WHERE i.inhparent = 'files'::regclass ORDER BY c.relname`
+    )
+    let total = 0
+    for (const { relname } of partitions) {
+      const started = Date.now()
+      const result = await db.rawQuery(
+        `INSERT INTO file_details (file_id, content_type, archive)
+         SELECT id, content_type, archive FROM ${relname} WHERE content_type IS NOT NULL OR archive IS NOT NULL
+         ON CONFLICT (file_id) DO NOTHING`
+      )
+      total += result.rowCount ?? 0
+      this.logger.info(`${relname}: ${result.rowCount} copied in ${Math.round((Date.now() - started) / 1000)} s.`)
+    }
+    this.logger.info(`${total} files' details copied.`)
+  }
+}
diff --git a/commands/ReleaseRebuild.ts b/commands/ReleaseRebuild.ts
index d8305c2..a75deeb 100644
--- a/commands/ReleaseRebuild.ts
+++ b/commands/ReleaseRebuild.ts
@@ -70,7 +70,7 @@ export default class ReleaseRebuild extends BaseCommand {
                AND NOT (v.release_id IS NULL
                         AND b.release_id IN (SELECT id FROM releases WHERE source IN ('par2', 'rar')))
                -- A posted NZB decided this grouping (NzbImportService); name rules don't override it.
-               AND NOT EXISTS (SELECT 1 FROM files n WHERE n.release_id = b.release_id AND n.content_type = 'nzb')`,
+               AND NOT EXISTS (SELECT 1 FROM files n JOIN file_details nd ON nd.file_id = n.id WHERE n.release_id = b.release_id AND nd.content_type = 'nzb')`,
             [ids, releaseIdsPerBinary] as any
           )
         })
@@ -85,12 +85,13 @@ export default class ReleaseRebuild extends BaseCommand {
         const rows = await db
           .from('files as f')
           .join('binaries as b', 'b.file_id', 'f.id')
-          .whereNotNull('f.archive')
+          .join('file_details as d', 'd.file_id', 'f.id')
+          .whereNotNull('d.archive')
           .whereNull('b.release_id')
           .where('f.id', '>', rarCursor)
           .orderBy('f.id')
           .limit(BATCH)
-          .select('f.id as file_id', 'f.archive', 'b.id as binary_id', 'b.poster', 'b.groups', 'b.posted_at')
+          .select('f.id as file_id', 'd.archive', 'b.id as binary_id', 'b.poster', 'b.groups', 'b.posted_at')
         if (rows.length === 0) break
         rarCursor = Number(rows.at(-1).file_id)
         const segments = rows.map((r) => ({
@@ -147,7 +148,8 @@ export default class ReleaseRebuild extends BaseCommand {
     await db.transaction(async (trx) => {
       await trx.rawQuery('DELETE FROM release_files')
       await trx.rawQuery(`UPDATE binaries SET real_name = NULL WHERE real_name IS NOT NULL`)
-      await trx.rawQuery(`UPDATE files SET real_name = NULL, archive = NULL WHERE real_name IS NOT NULL OR archive IS NOT NULL`)
+      await trx.rawQuery(`UPDATE files SET real_name = NULL WHERE real_name IS NOT NULL`)
+      await trx.rawQuery(`UPDATE file_details SET archive = NULL WHERE archive IS NOT NULL`)
       await trx.rawQuery(`UPDATE releases SET contents = NULL, encrypted = NULL WHERE contents IS NOT NULL OR encrypted IS NOT NULL`)
       // Binaries whose name rules find no release were grouped from contents (or wrongly by size).
       await trx.rawQuery(`
diff --git a/database/migrations/1768620765290_file_details.ts b/database/migrations/1768620765290_file_details.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..0631fa5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/database/migrations/1768620765290_file_details.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,28 @@
+import { BaseSchema } from '@adonisjs/lucid/schema'
+
+/**
+ * What inspection learns about a file (content type, archive listing) lives
+ * in file_details, on the NVMe, instead of in `files` (LOG.md 2026-10-08 (14)).
+ * `files` sits on the HDD and was updated after its insert by every probe:
+ * a new row version on a random page and an entry in each of its indexes
+ * (3.7M updates against 49.5M inserts in a day, 27% HOT). Its rows are now
+ * only inserted (and moved between releases or renamed, rarely).
+ * The existing values are copied by `files:move-details` after this deploy;
+ * a later migration drops the columns.
+ */
+export default class extends BaseSchema {
+  async up() {
+    // The foreign key locks `files` briefly: take the lock first, so it can't deadlock with writers.
+    await this.db.rawQuery(`SET LOCAL lock_timeout = '60s'`)
+    await this.db.rawQuery(`LOCK TABLE files IN SHARE ROW EXCLUSIVE MODE`)
+    await this.db.rawQuery(`
+      CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS file_details (
+        file_id bigint PRIMARY KEY REFERENCES files (id) ON DELETE CASCADE,
+        content_type varchar(16),
+        archive jsonb)`)
+  }
+
+  async down() {
+    await this.db.rawQuery(`DROP TABLE IF EXISTS file_details`)
+  }
+}
diff --git a/database/schema.ts b/database/schema.ts
index 703b00c..b1d77af 100644
--- a/database/schema.ts
+++ b/database/schema.ts
@@ -187,6 +187,17 @@ export class FetchRangeSchema extends BaseModel {
   declare updatedAt: DateTime
 }
 
+export class FileDetailSchema extends BaseModel {
+  static $columns = ['archive', 'contentType', 'fileId'] as const
+  $columns = FileDetailSchema.$columns
+  @column()
+  declare archive: any | null
+  @column()
+  declare contentType: string | null
+  @column({ isPrimary: true })
+  declare fileId: bigint | number
+}
+
 export class FileKeySchema extends BaseModel {
   static $columns = ['keyHash'] as const
   $columns = FileKeySchema.$columns
diff --git a/tests/functional/seed_api.spec.ts b/tests/functional/seed_api.spec.ts
index edfc7ea..8b161ec 100644
--- a/tests/functional/seed_api.spec.ts
+++ b/tests/functional/seed_api.spec.ts
@@ -212,7 +212,7 @@ test.group('Seed API', (group) => {
     assert.equal(row.name, 'Real.Release.Name.2026.1080p-GRP')
     assert.isTrue(row.encrypted)
     assert.lengthOf(row.contents, 1)
-    assert.isOk((await db.from('files').where('id', file.id).first()).archive)
+    assert.isOk((await db.from('file_details').where('file_id', file.id).first())?.archive)
     assert.equal(await (await Job.fromId(QueueService.collectionQueue, job.jobId))!.getState(), 'completed')
     // Too late (or twice): the lock is gone.
     ;(await client.post('/api/v1/seed/inspect/done').json(done).headers(auth)).assertStatus(409)
@@ -252,7 +252,7 @@ test.group('Seed API', (group) => {
     const job = (await client.post('/api/v1/seed/inspect/lease').json({ max: 1 }).headers(auth)).body().jobs[0]
     const error = 'Seed API /api/v1/seed/articles?id=gone%40test: 410 {"error":"No such article"}'
     ;(await client.post('/api/v1/seed/inspect/failed').json({ queue: job.queue, jobId: job.jobId, token: job.token, error }).headers(auth)).assertStatus(200)
-    assert.equal((await db.from('files').where('id', file.id).first()).content_type, 'missing')
+    assert.equal((await db.from('file_details').where('file_id', file.id).first())?.content_type, 'missing')
     assert.equal(await (await Job.fromId(QueueService.collectionQueue, job.jobId))!.getState(), 'completed')
   })