In modern computer systems, the concept of DIMM (for dual inline memory module) sparing is well known and used by different server chipsets to increase memory system reliability. DIMM sparing requires that at boot time, one DIMM pair (or quad—depending on memory loading rules) per memory controller be set aside as a spare DIMM. If a persistent, correctable error occurs in one of the non-spare DIMMs connected to the same memory controller, data in the failed DIMM is copied to the spare DIMM and the memory system health is restored. While DIMM sparing provides memory redundancy, it does so at the obvious cost of increased memory overhead, as well as other not so obvious drawbacks.