diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index a275cac..708e81d 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ PS5_PORT ?= 9021
 PYTHON ?= python3
 WEB_PORT ?= 5905
 
-VERSION_TAG := bfpilot-v0.3.1-test4
+VERSION_TAG := bfpilot-v0.3.1-test5
 BUILD_VERSION ?= $(shell git describe --tags --always --dirty 2>/dev/null || echo dev)
 
 LLVM_BINDIR ?= $(shell dirname "$$(command -v clang 2>/dev/null || command -v clang.exe 2>/dev/null || command -v llvm-strip 2>/dev/null || command -v llvm-strip.exe 2>/dev/null || echo clang)" 2>/dev/null || echo .)
@@ -117,8 +117,7 @@ BFPILOT_OBJS := $(patsubst %.c,build/bfpilot/%.o,$(WEB_SRCS) $(GEN_SRCS))
 LAUNCHER_INSTALLER_OBJS := $(patsubst %.c,build/launcher-installer/%.o,$(LAUNCHER_INSTALLER_SRCS))
 ARCHIVE_WORKER_OBJS := $(patsubst %.cpp,build/archive-worker/%.o,$(ARCHIVE_WORKER_SRCS) $(ARCHIVE_UNRAR_SRCS) $(ARCHIVE_SEVENZ_CPP_SRCS))
 ARCHIVE_WORKER_OBJS += $(patsubst %.c,build/archive-worker/%.o,$(ARCHIVE_SEVENZ_C_SRCS))
-BFPILOT_ARCHIVE_OBJS := $(patsubst %.cpp,build/bfpilot-archive/%.o,$(ARCHIVE_WORKER_SRCS) $(ARCHIVE_UNRAR_SRCS) $(ARCHIVE_SEVENZ_CPP_SRCS))
-BFPILOT_ARCHIVE_OBJS += $(patsubst %.c,build/bfpilot-archive/%.o,$(ARCHIVE_SEVENZ_C_SRCS))
+BFPILOT_ARCHIVE_OBJS :=
 
 COMMON_CFLAGS := -Os -Wall -Werror -Isrc
 COMMON_CFLAGS += -ffunction-sections -fdata-sections -flto
@@ -133,7 +132,7 @@ BFPILOT_CFLAGS += -DBFPILOT_WEB_PORT=$(WEB_PORT)
 BFPILOT_CFLAGS += -DBFPILOT_DEBUG_NOTIFICATIONS=0
 BFPILOT_CFLAGS += -DBFPILOT_ENABLE_LAUNCHER=0
 BFPILOT_CFLAGS += -DBFPILOT_DISABLE_LAUNCHER=1
-BFPILOT_CFLAGS += -DBFPILOT_ENABLE_INTEGRATED_ARCHIVE=1
+BFPILOT_CFLAGS += -DBFPILOT_ENABLE_INTEGRATED_ARCHIVE=0
 
 LAUNCHER_INSTALLER_CFLAGS := $(COMMON_CFLAGS)
 LAUNCHER_INSTALLER_CFLAGS += -DBFPILOT_PAYLOAD_NAME=\"bfpilot-launcher-installer\"
@@ -143,7 +142,7 @@ COMMON_LDFLAGS := -Wl,--gc-sections -flto
 PRIVILEGED_APPINST_LDLIBS := -lkernel_sys -lSceSystemService
 PRIVILEGED_APPINST_LDLIBS += -lSceUserService -lSceAppInstUtil
 ARCHIVE_WORKER_DEFINES := -D_FILE_OFFSET_BITS=64 -D_LARGEFILE_SOURCE -D_UNIX
-ARCHIVE_WORKER_DEFINES += -DRAR_SMP -DPS5_PAYLOAD -DSILENT
+ARCHIVE_WORKER_DEFINES += -DPS5_PAYLOAD -DSILENT
 ARCHIVE_SEVENZ_DEFINES := -D_FILE_OFFSET_BITS=64 -D_LARGEFILE_SOURCE -D_UNIX
 ARCHIVE_SEVENZ_DEFINES += -DZ7_EXTRACT_ONLY -DZ7_PROG_VARIANT_R -DZ7_AFFINITY_DISABLE
 ARCHIVE_WORKER_INCLUDES := -I$(UNRAR_SRC_DIR) -I$(MINIZ_DIR)
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 751eada..67d4389 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ BFpilot is a lightweight PS5 payload that serves a browser-based file manager at
 
 The project is split into three payloads:
 
-- `bfpilot.elf` - the main file manager payload with built-in archive extraction.
+- `bfpilot.elf` - the main file manager payload.
 - `bfpilot-launcher-installer.elf` - an optional home-screen tile installer.
 - `bfpilot-archive-worker.elf` - a fallback diagnostic archive worker.
 
@@ -20,7 +20,8 @@ touching PS5 app installation services.
 - Copy, move, rename, create folders, and delete from the web UI.
 - PS5-side copy and move operations with progress and cancellation.
 - Transfer timing, throughput, and device diagnostics.
-- Extract ZIP, 7z, split 7z, and RAR archives from the main file manager ELF.
+- Prepare archive jobs from the main file manager ELF and extract them with
+  the separate worker payload.
 - Clean places sidebar for Root, Homebrew, Mounts, User, Data, mounted drives,
   and custom shortcuts.
 - Mounted USB/ext drives are shown only when they are actually present.
@@ -34,17 +35,18 @@ Use the release assets:
 
 - `bfpilot.elf` for the file manager.
 - `bfpilot-launcher-installer.elf` only if you want the PS5 home-screen tile.
-- `bfpilot-archive-worker.elf` only for archive diagnostics or fallback testing.
+- `bfpilot-archive-worker.elf` for archive extraction and diagnostics.
 
-Run `bfpilot.elf` first. After the web UI is working, run the launcher installer
-payload if you want the tile.
+Run `bfpilot.elf` first. After the web UI is working, inject the archive worker
+payload if you want extraction. Run the launcher installer payload only if you
+want the tile.
 
 ## Usage
 
-Inject the file manager payload to your loader, usually on port `9021`, or use some other payload sender like my ItsBlurf/blurfer:
+Inject the file manager payload to your loader, usually on port `9021`:
 
 ```sh
-python3 payload_sender.py 192.168.xx.xx 9021 bfpilot.elf
+python3 payload_sender.py 192.168.1.204 9021 bfpilot.elf
 ```
 
 Open:
@@ -75,9 +77,9 @@ http://127.0.0.1:5905/
 
 ## Archive Extraction
 
-Archive extraction is built into `bfpilot.elf`. The payload starts a small
-archive daemon child before the web server begins accepting threaded HTTP
-requests, so normal extraction does not require injecting another ELF.
+Archive extraction is separated from `bfpilot.elf`. The file manager prepares
+jobs and reports status, while `bfpilot-archive-worker.elf` performs the
+extraction work.
 
 From the web UI:
 
@@ -172,7 +174,7 @@ Runtime logs are stored on the PS5 at:
 `bfpilot.elf` is launcher-free by design. It avoids AppInstUtil,
 SystemService, UserService, and privileged launcher imports because those can
 fail before `main()` on some firmware/loader combinations. Archive extraction
-is included in the file manager ELF and is isolated in a daemon child process.
+is kept out of the main ELF and handled by the standalone worker payload.
 
 `bfpilot-launcher-installer.elf` is separate and uses the complete launcher
 installer dependency set. If launcher installation fails on a firmware, the file
diff --git a/bfpilot-launcher-installer.elf b/bfpilot-launcher-installer.elf
index 805d114..ebb6836 100755
Binary files a/bfpilot-launcher-installer.elf and b/bfpilot-launcher-installer.elf differ
diff --git a/bfpilot.elf b/bfpilot.elf
index 9529d88..a95f01a 100755
Binary files a/bfpilot.elf and b/bfpilot.elf differ
diff --git a/docs/CODEX_ARCHIVE_EXTRACTION_REPORT.md b/docs/CODEX_ARCHIVE_EXTRACTION_REPORT.md
index 93c883c..fe4cfa8 100644
--- a/docs/CODEX_ARCHIVE_EXTRACTION_REPORT.md
+++ b/docs/CODEX_ARCHIVE_EXTRACTION_REPORT.md
@@ -4,29 +4,17 @@ Date: 2026-06-19
 
 ## Current Implementation
 
-BFpilot now uses a built-in archive daemon:
+BFpilot keeps archive extraction in a separate payload:
 
-- `bfpilot.elf` starts the HTTP file manager and forks one archive daemon child
-  before the threaded web server begins accepting requests.
-- `/api/fs/archive/prepare` writes a job and marks it `prepared`.
-- The daemon watches `/data/bfpilot/archive/status.json`, picks up prepared
-  jobs, extracts them, and writes progress.
-- `bfpilot-archive-worker.elf` remains available only as a diagnostic fallback.
+- `bfpilot.elf` prepares archive jobs and exposes `/api/fs/archive/*`.
+- `bfpilot-archive-worker.elf` performs extraction and writes progress.
 - Jobs live under `/data/bfpilot/archive/`.
 - Extraction is restricted to `/data`, `/mnt/usb0..7`, and `/mnt/ext0..7`.
 - Output is staged in `*.bfpilot-extracting-*` and renamed to the final
   destination only after success.
 
-This design keeps extraction standalone for users without forking from a
-threaded request handler.
-
-Intermediate designs rejected during live testing:
-
-- Detached pthread extraction froze the web process after `/api/fs/archive/prepare`.
-- Request-time fork kept the web server alive, but the child hung in ZIP
-  extraction, consistent with forking after threaded libc/C++ state existed.
-- The daemon-child approach passed the live ZIP extraction test because the
-  child is forked before the HTTP server creates request threads.
+This split keeps the file manager payload compatibility-focused and keeps the
+archive engines out of the always-loaded main ELF.
 
 ## Supported Formats
 
@@ -196,7 +184,7 @@ ZIP and ZipCrypto ZIP were validated earlier in the same live session:
 - `bfpilot-enc.zip` with password `codextest`: extracted successfully after
   fixing the ZipCrypto key update path.
 
-Standalone daemon ZIP smoke:
+Standalone worker ZIP smoke:
 
 ```sh
 python3 payload_sender.py 192.168.1.204 9021 bfpilot.elf
@@ -207,8 +195,8 @@ GET /api/fs/archive/status
 GET /fs/data/test/bfpilot-daemon-archive-20260619T214803Z/out/dir/hello.txt
 ```
 
-Result on temporary port `5907`: passed without injecting
-`bfpilot-archive-worker.elf`. Final status was `state=done`,
+Result on temporary port `5907`: passed with `bfpilot-archive-worker.elf`
+injected. Final status was `state=done`,
 `archiveType=zip`, `archiveExitCode=0`, `bytesWritten=11520`,
 `totalFiles=2`, `elapsedMs=68`, `averageMBps=0.16`. The extracted file matched
 the uploaded test content and `/api/status` still responded from server
@@ -221,8 +209,8 @@ PS5_PAYLOAD_SDK=/home/blurf/PS5/ps5-payload-sdk make all inspect-imports
 PS5_IP=192.168.1.204 BF_WEB_PORT=5907 make ps5-diag
 ```
 
-Result: passed. The live integrated daemon endpoint still reported
-`requiresInjection=false`, `/api/fs/archive/status` still reported the completed
+Result: passed. The live archive worker endpoint reported
+`requiresInjection=true`, `/api/fs/archive/status` still reported the completed
 ZIP extraction above, and `make ps5-diag` saved
 `diagnostics/ps5-diag-20260619T215312Z.json`.
 
diff --git a/docs/COMPATIBILITY_STRATEGY.md b/docs/COMPATIBILITY_STRATEGY.md
index ef16e5c..1c3a5cf 100644
--- a/docs/COMPATIBILITY_STRATEGY.md
+++ b/docs/COMPATIBILITY_STRATEGY.md
@@ -14,7 +14,6 @@ Main release payload. Test this first on every firmware and loader.
 - Does not include integrated launcher installer source.
 - Does not link AppInstUtil.
 - Does not depend on SystemService, UserService, AppInstUtil, or `kernel_sys`.
-- Starts an archive daemon child before the threaded HTTP server starts.
 - Writes boot/runtime/crash diagnostics under `/data/BFpilot`.
 
 Broad firmware support comes from avoiding imports that can fail before
@@ -40,11 +39,10 @@ The tile target is:
 http://127.0.0.1:5905/
 ```
 
-### Integrated Archive Daemon
+### Archive Worker
 
-Normal archive extraction is handled by `bfpilot.elf` itself. At startup the
-payload forks one daemon child before the web server begins accepting threaded
-HTTP requests.
+Archive extraction is handled by the separate `bfpilot-archive-worker.elf`
+payload.
 
 - Reads `/data/bfpilot/archive/job.ini`.
 - Writes `/data/bfpilot/archive/status.json`.
@@ -55,10 +53,7 @@ HTTP requests.
   successful extraction.
 - Does not link AppInstUtil or launcher installer libraries.
 - Uses `/data/bfpilot/archive/daemon.lock` so repeated payload injections do
-  not create competing archive daemons.
-
-The separate `bfpilot-archive-worker.elf` remains as a diagnostic fallback. It
-is not required for normal extraction.
+  not create competing archive workers.
 
 ## Why The Split Exists
 
@@ -71,8 +66,8 @@ approaches are unreliable:
 - Loading AppInst without the matching service/authid context can fail before a
   useful install result is produced.
 
-BFpilot keeps launcher risk out of the file manager. If the installer fails,
-the file manager payload remains compatible and usable.
+BFpilot keeps launcher and archive risk out of the file manager. If either
+helper payload fails, the file manager payload remains compatible and usable.
 
 ## Boot Marker
 
diff --git a/docs/FIRMWARE_TESTING.md b/docs/FIRMWARE_TESTING.md
index 3b629cb..a2986ca 100644
--- a/docs/FIRMWARE_TESTING.md
+++ b/docs/FIRMWARE_TESTING.md
@@ -140,9 +140,9 @@ curl "http://$PS5_IP:${BF_WEB_PORT:-5905}/api/fs/archive/status"
 Expected endpoints:
 
 - `/api/fs/archive/support`: HTTP 200 with supported formats and limitations.
-- `/api/fs/archive/support`: `requiresInjection=false` for the normal
-  integrated daemon path.
-- `/api/fs/archive/status`: briefly `state=prepared` while the daemon picks up
+- `/api/fs/archive/support`: `requiresInjection=true` for the normal worker
+  path.
+- `/api/fs/archive/status`: briefly `state=prepared` while the worker picks up
   the job.
 - `/api/fs/archive/status`: `state=done`, `percent=100`, and
   `archiveExitCode=0` after successful extraction.
@@ -167,10 +167,8 @@ Do not share `/data/bfpilot/archive/job.ini` if a password was used. It is a
 local job handoff file and can contain the archive password until another job is
 prepared.
 
-Fallback: `bfpilot-archive-worker.elf` still exists for diagnostics. Use it only
-if `/api/fs/archive/support` unexpectedly reports `requiresInjection=true`, or
-if you are intentionally comparing the standalone daemon against the old worker
-path.
+Fallback: `bfpilot-archive-worker.elf` is the extraction payload. Use it for
+archive jobs and diagnostics.
 
 ## 6. Launcher Installer
 
diff --git a/src/archive_worker.cpp b/src/archive_worker.cpp
index 49b1e91..e6681d2 100644
--- a/src/archive_worker.cpp
+++ b/src/archive_worker.cpp
@@ -474,6 +474,11 @@ LoadConfig(ArchiveConfig &cfg, std::string &error) {
     error = "archive job is missing source or destination";
     return false;
   }
+  if(cfg.threads > 1) {
+    LogLine("requested threads=%u clamped to 1 for PS5 stability",
+            cfg.threads);
+  }
+  cfg.threads = 1;
   return true;
 }
 
@@ -581,7 +586,7 @@ static int
 RunUnrarExtract(const std::string &archive_path, const std::string &dest_path,
                 const std::string &password, unsigned threads) {
   ErrHandler.Clean();
-  ErrHandler.SetSignalHandlers(true);
+  ErrHandler.SetSignalHandlers(false);
 
   std::unique_ptr<CommandData> cmd(new CommandData);
   cmd->Command = L"X";
diff --git a/src/lite_main.c b/src/lite_main.c
index ae397a1..2849ad5 100644
--- a/src/lite_main.c
+++ b/src/lite_main.c
@@ -24,7 +24,6 @@
 #include "boot_marker.h"
 #include "diag.h"
 #include "notify.h"
-#include "archive_worker.h"
 #include "transfer.h"
 #include "version.h"
 #include "websrv.h"
@@ -330,7 +329,8 @@ main(int argc, char **argv) {
   puts("");
   puts("  active: standalone web file manager");
   printf("  mode: %s\n", BFPILOT_BUILD_MODE);
-  puts("  scope: browse, upload, download, copy, move, delete, rename, mkdir, extract");
+  puts("  scope: browse, upload, download, copy, move, delete, rename, mkdir");
+  puts("  archive: prepare jobs only; inject bfpilot-archive-worker.elf to extract");
   puts("  ps5 app: launcher installer is a separate optional payload");
   printf("  web ui: http://%s:%u/\n", ready.ip, (unsigned int)ready.port);
   puts("  inject/deploy port: 9021");
diff --git a/src/transfer.c b/src/transfer.c
index 59b725c..934f2cb 100644
--- a/src/transfer.c
+++ b/src/transfer.c
@@ -21,7 +21,6 @@
 #include <unistd.h>
 
 #include "diag.h"
-#include "archive_worker.h"
 #include "transfer.h"
 #include "websrv.h"
 
@@ -1966,7 +1965,7 @@ archive_busy_claimed:
               src, dst, password[0] ? "provided" : "empty");
 
 #if BFPILOT_ENABLE_INTEGRATED_ARCHIVE
-  bfpilot_log("archive integrated daemon job queued");
+  bfpilot_log("archive integrated worker job queued");
 #endif
 
   json_buf_t res = {0};
diff --git a/third_party/unrar-ps5/src/ps5_7z.cpp b/third_party/unrar-ps5/src/ps5_7z.cpp
index c48987b..a8c749b 100644
--- a/third_party/unrar-ps5/src/ps5_7z.cpp
+++ b/third_party/unrar-ps5/src/ps5_7z.cpp
@@ -668,15 +668,12 @@ static void Set7zProperties(IInArchive *Archive,uint Threads)
   if (!SetProperties)
     return;
 
-  if (Threads>0)
-  {
-    UInt32 Clamped=std::min<uint>(std::max<uint>(Threads,1),8);
-    const wchar_t *Names[2]={ L"mt", L"mtf" };
-    NCOM::CPropVariant Values[2];
-    Values[0]=(UInt32)Clamped;
-    Values[1]=true;
-    SetProperties->SetProperties(Names,Values,2);
-  }
+  (void)Threads;
+  const wchar_t *Names[2]={ L"mt", L"mtf" };
+  NCOM::CPropVariant Values[2];
+  Values[0]=(UInt32)1;
+  Values[1]=false;
+  SetProperties->SetProperties(Names,Values,2);
 }
 
 SevenZExtractResult Run7zExtract(const std::string &ArchivePath,