Look at all these new topics.......
If you are having issues with 1.5......best advice is this:
1. Backup your save folder (on win7 should be in documents/mygames/skyrim aside that IDC get a new OS)
2. Uninstall the game any way you want really as long as you follow the rest of the steps
3. Delete anything attached to Skyrim left(aside your save back ups) from your computer including the folder mentioned in step 1 as well as the folder that may still remain in ProgramFilesx86/Steam/Steamapps/Common/ and delete the Skyrim folder.
4. Use CCleaner or something to clean anything Skyrim left behind on your REGISTRY might take a few sweeps to totally clean them out.
5. Restart your system.
6. Go into Steam and turn off Cloud updates(even if it is already done ensure it is still off past this blame Steam for a bad UI)
7. Install Skyrim from your steam library...ensure that you are using a hardline connection(not wifi unless totally unavoidable) as well as not using your bandwidth during the install(sounds like overkill but it should take a while why have to do it all over).
8. Start a new game to generate a fresh .ini once installed.
9. Adjust your launcher and retweak your .ini(may have to set these files to read only when finished now will update soon) etc. at your own risk....might be best to run the vanilla one first.
10. Add your save files back to the new created save folder(after the game autosaves once it should be there).
11. Reset any option changes you have made as they are most likely reverted.

PLEASE READ: Your .ini and any mods will be lost but chances are these are the two factors most likely causing your issue and thus you need to start over...others might advise faster methods and if you are savvy try them first this is a last ditch attempt to re vanilla your Skyrim and then re-adapt it to the 1.5 version. If you have changed U grids you will have to potentially follow the reversion process first or add the same settings to your new ini and then revert them. I cannot nor will not give advice in regards to Ugrids.

ATI Graphics Card Users: There is a known issue with driver versions 12.2(official since the preview seems to work for some) and beyond. Their are numerous threads on this on the forums but here is a list of older driver installs to choose from: http://support.amd.com/us/gpudownload/windows/previous/Pages/radeonaiw_vista64.aspx
and here is a Beta that has been successful for some: http://support.amd.com/us/kbarticles/Pages/HD78007Support.aspx

To Bethesda(even though you won't read this): Shame on you for releasing a Beta patch for about a week and then releasing it as live. I applaud you for your attempt at fixing this game and you clearly are spending more time on it than the last TESV release but that said....stop rushing your game is large it takes time for those brave enough to try your Beta to find issues. Stop buckling under the weight of people complaining about problems that are in most part due to their own mistakes. I am sure you are being bombarded with complaints but keep perspective.

Any questions feel free to hit my inbox on these boards and any tech heavies want to weigh in feel free. This is just my protocol each patch and has worked without fail.

I've never edited my ini files and have never had any problems with the updates. Even 1.5. I played for about 6 hours yesterday without even one issue. Think there is a correlation there?

It's impossible for them to test all the custom changes people make.

Yes quite possibly however this patch is changing the shadowdistance(the default) in the ini on its own. It also seems the launcher takes priority over the file and reverts them so if you leave you .ini as read/write it will revert. Basically the new shadowdistance is lower than the old value (for whatever the game autoset it for upon .ini generation). This could cause shadow issues for one person and not for another. If you are noticing shadow fail that wasn't there before and have a capable system try setting shadow distance to 8000.0000 and then setting the .ini to read only in the properties. I made tons of ini changes but mine worked fine my distance was just cut in half. This maybe something Bethesda did to help stability but in hindsight caused shadow issues for others.