Microsoft has made some headway since late last year when it warned Kiwis still using its 13-year-old operating system Windows XP that its support for the OS would end.

Now that day has come and the estimated number of machines in New Zealand still running XP has dropped from 377,000 to about 260,000.

With support ending and no more security updates or patches, no technical assistance or content updates, Microsoft has again urged Kiwi users to upgrade their operating system.

“While PCs running Windows XP will continue to work, no more security updates or technical support means that consumers and companies still running XP are now vulnerable to harmful viruses, spyware, and other malicious software which can steal or damage valuable information,” says director of marketing and operations Frazer Scott.

Microsoft has also warned users over the lack of drivers for their hardware and software that can’t be installed on XP, including Photoshop and Office 2013.

Microsoft is offering tools to help XP users make the transition, including a website for users unsure which operating system they’re using. If the tool detects XP, it offers upgrade guidance. There’s also a data migration tool for copying files, music, video, email, profiles and settings to a new device.

“Windows XP was a great operating system for its time, but it was not designed to handle the modern-day challenges of increasingly sophisticated cyber-attacks, or support functionality we now see as standard such as ubiquitous internet access, the use of tablet PCs and touch screens,” says Scott.