retrieved from register 40 by predecoder 50 a if two or more bits of a set of bits e 7 0 have the value u201c 1 u201d then that set is a set of multiblock selection bits in response to which the system selects two or more erase blocks in each selected main block an example of such a set of multiblock selection bits is the following e 7 1 e 6 1 e 5 0 e 4 0 e 3 0 e 2 0 e 1 0 and e 0 0 control engine 129 preferably is capable of loading register 40 with bits e 7 0 having any possible combination of values when predecoder 50 a operates in a third mode in response to control signal c 1 having the value u201c 0 u201d and control signal c 2 having the value u201c 1 u201d each set of bits xc 7 0 output from predecoder 50 a is a set of multiblock selection bits xc 7 1 xc 6 1 xc 5 1 xc 4 1 xc 3 1 xc 2 1 xc 1 1 and xc 0 1 in response to this set the system selects all eight erase blocks in each selected main block predecoder 50 b operates in response to control signals c 3 c 4 and c 5 from controller 129 and in response to address bits.