I have discovered why things are taking so long...

Maybe we should arm ourselves with old fashioned pick axes, torches and raid Bethesda for the patch ;D?
P.S. Mods this is only a joke, no harm intended

I cannot advance in the main quest because the old man behind cell is unresponsive.

I think we're getting the patch notes today:

http://twitter.com/#!/Bethblog/statuses/160037612797698049

http://www.bethblog.com/2012/01/19/news-on-the-creation-kit-and-game-updates/

It’s been a few weeks since our last update on Skyrim’s status, so we wanted to share details on what we’re working on.

The Creation Kit and Steam Workshop are nearly ready. We’re currently working with members of Valve and our modding community to do some final testing, and we’re on track for a public release near the end of the month. We think Skyrim modding is one of the game’s best features, and we have the best modders of any game. It’s been a lot of exciting work for us, and we can’t wait to unleash it.

Skyrim’s 1.4 update is currently undergoing testing on all three platforms. The update will include fixes and optimizations for the most common issues people have been reporting (see below). We’re hoping to finalize this next week, and submit it to the console manufacturers for certification, as well as release on PC.

Our current update plan for the PC is to first release our updates as “beta” versions through Steam. This is something you’ll be able to opt into through Steam and back-out of if needed. This is an extra safety check for everyone going forward and should expedite and improve our updating process for our PC users. We’ll have more info soon on how this will work.

Echoing what we said back in December, we’ll continue to look into issues that are being reported and subsequent updates will follow. You have all supported Skyrim in a huge way, and we’ll be supporting all of you, and continue to make the game better.

Current 1.4 Changelog (all platforms unless noted)

NEW FEATURES

• Skyrim launcher support for Steam Workshop (PC)

BUG FIXES

• General optimizations for memory and performance
  
• Fixed occasional issue with armor and clothing not displaying properly when placed on mannequin's in player's house. (PS3)
  
• Improved compiler optimization settings (PC)
  
• Long term play optimizations for memory and performance (PS3)
  
• Memory optimizations related to scripting
  
• Fixed crashes related to pathing and AI
  
• Fixed crash in Haemar's Shame if player had already completed "A Daedra's Best Friend"
  
• Fixed rare crash with loading saved games
  
• Fixed issue with accented characters not displaying properly at the end of a line
  
• Master Criminal achievement/trophy unlocks properly in French, German, Spanish and Italian
  
• Fixed issue where dragon priest masks would not render correctly
  
• Fixed issue where quests would incorrectly progress after reloading a save
  
• Fixed issues with placing and removing books from bookshelves in the player's home
  
• Fixed issue where weapon racks and plaques would not work correctly in player's house if player immediately visits their house before purchasing any furnishing.
  
• Fixed issue where the player house in Windhelm would not clean up properly
  
• Fixed crash related to giant attacks and absorb spells
  
• Fixed issue with ash piles not cleaning up properly
  
• Fixed occasional issue where overwriting an existing save would fail
  
• Fixed memory crash with container menu
  
• Fixed infinite loop with bookshelves
  
• Fixed issue where traps in Shalidor's Maze would not work properly in French, German, Spanish and Italian versions
  
• Fixed issue where transforming back to human from werewolf would occasionally not fail
  
• Bows and daggers will display properly when placed on weapon racks

QUEST FIXES

• The Unusual Gem inside the Thalmor Embassy is now accessible after finishing "Diplomatic Immunity"
  
• In "Breaching Security", the quest token is no longer required to receive a fortune reading from Olava the Feeble
  
• Fixed issue where Galmar would not complete Joining the Stormcloaks properly if "Season Unending" was an active quest
  
• Fixed issue where starting "Season Unending" after finishing "Joining the Stormcloaks" would prevent "The Jagged Crown" from starting properly.
  
• Fixed issue progressing through "Message to Whiterun" while "Season Unending" was still open would block progression for both quests.
  
• In "Arniel's Endeavor", fixed issue where a quest journal would trigger multiple times
  
• In "Forbidden Legend", the amulet fragment can no longer disappear after player leaves a dungeon without taking it
  
• Fixed rare issue in "Forbidden Legend" where killing Mikrul Gauldurson while sneaking would make his corpose unaccessible
  
• In "The White Phial", the phial can no longer disappear if player leaves dungeon without taking it
  
• "The White Phial" will now start properly if player already has a briar heart in their inventory
  
• Player can no longer get stuck in Misty Grove after completing "A Night to Remember"
  
• Fixed issue where leaving Riften during "A Chance Arrangement" would prevent quest from progressing
  
• In "Darkness Returns", a door in Twilight Sepulcher will properly open if the player leaves the dungeon for an extended period of time before completing the quest
  
• In "Under New Management", if the player leaves the Oculory for an extended period of time after placing the focusing crystal and returns, the quest will proceed correctly
  
• "Onmund's Request" will now start properly if player has already found Enthir's staff before receiving this quest
  
• Fixed instance where Tonilia would stop buying stolen items and also would not give Guild Leader Armor
  
• "Repairing the Phial" will start properly if player already has unmelting snow or mammoth tusk in their inventory
  
• Finding Pantea's Flute before speaking with Pantea no longer prevents her quest from updating
  
• In "The Coming of the Dawn", fixed rare instance where a quest object would spawn incorrectly on the Katariah during Hail Sithis
  
• Fixed rare issue in "The Mind of Madness" where player is unable to equip the Wabbajack
  
• Fixed issue in "Pieces of the Past" where Mehrunes Dagon's Razor will not trigger properly if player leaves the cell for extended period of time before activating it
  
• "Blood's Honor" will start properly if you visited and completed Driftshade and an extended period of time passes before starting the quest.
  
• Fixed rare issue where "Dampened Spirits" would not start properly
  
• Fixed issue where player would be unable to become Thane of Riften if they purchased a home first
  
• Fixed issue where killing guards in Cidhna Mine woud block progression for "No One Escapes Cidhna Mine"
  
• Fixed numerous issues with "Blood on the Ice" not triggering properly
  
• In "Blood on the Ice", Calixto can now be killed if player owns a house in Windhelm
  
• In "The Cure for Madness", killing Cicero then resurrecting him no longer impedes quest progress
  
• Fixed rare issue in "To Kill an Empire" where an NPC would fail to die properly
  
• Clearing Knifepoint Ridge before starting "Boethiah's Champion" no longer prevents quest from starting.

rrrrrrrrrrrriiiight.

i've been auto-saving from the start, with the music on (lol?), every setting on max and all sliders full, with over 200 HD texture related mods running and many extra .ini tweaks, and my save file size is 18.5 mb. the game runs great for me and, though i keep a rotation of 10 manual saves that i update one at a time every hour or two, i never experience freezing or CTDs.

you probably wanna look into skyboost, and trade in your commodore 64

still no containment fix, well looks like i'll have to keep avoiding winterhold