Symptom
In any transaction, the following message is generated at the bottom of the screen 00072 "Memory low. Leave the transaction before taking a break!").
User and system adminstrators do not know how they should respond to this message.
Additional key words
Message 00072, extended memory, heap memory, PRIV, PRIV mode
Cause and prerequisites
This message is NO error message.
In certain cases, it may point to a performance problem.
The information "Memory low" only refers to ONE memory area of the R/3 System, the extended memory. However, the users can request aditional memory in a different memory area, the heap memory, and can continue to work normally. However, a work process is reserved exclusively for the users who use heap memory for that time (that is known as PRIV mode).
In certain configurations and systems, the use of heap memory is even intended!
The described message is new in Release 4.0 (only the message, the described situation has also already occurred in Release 3). This may be the reason that many users and administrators complain about the "memory errors" and "memory problems" after upgrading to Release 4.0 although objectively no errors can be found.
Solution
What should users and system adminstrators do when they receive this message.
User: -----------------------------------------------------------------------
Users should proceed as proposed in the long text to the message:
"Continue to work as normal and exit the transaction before you take a long break."
System administrators: -----------------------------------------------------------------------
Under certain circumstances the message may point to a performance bottleneck. Therefore system adminstrators should check the following if users report that this message occurred:
1. Call the work process overview (Transaction SM50) and observe this some minutes (pushbutton -> Refresh) - see, whether work processes remain in the state
Status = stopped and Reason = PRIV,
Status = running and Action = roll in
Status = running and Action = roll out
- If you find more than 50% of the work processes in this status, then there may be a problem in the configuration.
- If you find less than 50% of the work processes in this status, no problem exists.
2. Call Transaction ST02.
- Check the field "Extended memory" in section "SAP memory", "Current use %". This indicates the current consumption of extended memory.
- If this value is > 90%, a problem may exist in memory configuration.
- If this value is < 90% is, no problem exists.
What needs to be done?
If you find that extended memory is configured too small, then you should increase it.
It may also be necessary to increase the number of work processes.
