A few days ago I reported on the update to the official PC-Exclusive HD Textures Pack for Skyrim, that brought some HD goodness to replace the slightly muddy console-optimized textures included in the DLCs of the game.

Unfortunately the HD Textures Pack isn't exactly free of bugs and glitches on its own (surprise surpise!), and while none of them are game breaking, they can be annoying and unnecessarily reduce your game's performance, which isn't exactly the best option considering that the HD textures are rather demanding on your hardware on their own.

Luckily the team behind the basically necessary Unofficial Skyrim Patch and its DLC equivalents decided to fix the problems and do the job that Bethesda's QA department should have done, releasing the Unofficial High Resolution Patch.

Here's the list of changes for version 1.0:

• The LOD terrain normal map has been updated to be compatible with Dawnguard, using an improved version.
• Optimized 45 textures which where using the wrong format, better performance!
• USKP Transferred Fix: Fixed seams in 2 textures (textures\architecture\whiterun\wrdragontile01.dds, textures\architecture\windhelm\whoutwall.dds).
• USKP Transferred Fix: Fixed the shaft of the grindstone on blacksmith sharpening wheel stations only being on one side of the stone, wouldn't be possible to use as the torque on the wheel would quickly destroy it (textures\clutter\blacksmith\blacksmithsharpeningwheel01.dds, meshes\furniture\clutter\blacksmithsharpeningwheelanimating.nif).
• USKP Transferred Fix: Cave roots were using a texture that was flat and ill defined. This has been replaced with one that looks better against the darkness in caves (textures\dungeons\caves\cavebaseroots01.dds).
• USKP Transferred Fix: Included the high resolution Elk skin (which is already correct) to override USKP's default resolution fix (textures\actors\elk\elkbody.dds).
• Fixed webbing on Blood Dragons, altered alpha channel on texture (textures\actors\dragons\dragon_swamp.dds).
• Fixed Dragon Priests not using their high resolution textures, corrected folder name (textures\actors\dragonpriest -> textures\actors\dragon priest).
• Fixed Dragon Priests not disintergrating properly after the previous fix, replaced the alpha channel with a high resolution version from the newly added high resolution Dragon Priest Acolyte textures (textures\actors\dragon priest\dragonpriest.dds).
• Fixed Goats not using their high resolution texture, corrected file name (actors\goat\goat.dds -> actors\goat\goat_d.dds).
• Fixed Volsung (Dragon Priest mask) not using its high resolution texture, corrected filename (textures\armor\dragonpriesthelm\helmet_corondrum.dds -> textures\armor\dragonpriesthelm\helmet_corundrum.dds).
• Fixed Male Theives Guild Boots not using their high resolution texture, corrected file name (textures\armor\theivesguild\thieves guild armor_shoes_texture.dds -> textures\armor\theivesguild\thievesguildarmorshoesm.dds).
• Fixed rips in Blades Armor, corrected alpha channel on the texture and improved the meshes (textures\armor\blades\bladesarmor.dds, meshes\armor\blades\*.nif).
• Fixed Daedric Shields looking wonky, added missing specular map back to the texture based on the default resolution texture (textures\armor\daedric\daedricshield_n.dds).
• Fixed Female Ancient Nord Boots looking wonky, added missing specular map back to the texture based on the default resolution texture (textures\armor\draugr\femaledraugrboots_n.dds).
• Fixed Orcish Arrows\Quiver not using their high resolution textures, added missing textures which are just a copy of the high resolution Orcish Bow textures (textures\weapons\orcish\orcisharrow.dds, textures\weapons\orcish\orcisharrow_n.dds).
• Fixed Bee Hive Aviaries not using their high resolution texture, corrected file name (clutter\beehive01_g.dds -> clutter\beehive_g.dds).

You can download it from here on the Skyrim Nexus or, if you use Steam Workshop, you can get it from here. As usual, though, I suggest to avoid the Steam Workshop like the plague, first of all because it's really bad compared to the Nexus, and secondly because it's auto-update feature can potentially prove lethal for your savegames.

Remember that if you want to use the Unofficial HD Patch, you also need to install the other unofficial patches (and you really should anyway, as they'll save you a whole lot of pain and frustration) for the original game and for the DLCs you own. You can find the one for Skyrim here, the one for Dawnguard here, the one for Heartfire here and the one for Dragonborn here.

Update: If you still get performance problems even after installing the Unofficial HD Patch, my fellow Italian Vano89 just published the new version of his Bethesda Hi-Res DLC Optimized mod that gives you some awesome options to reduce hardware load while still getting some or most of the benefits coming with the HD Textures. Another must have!