A data processing system for error processing and an error processing method, which system includes a main memory (M), an information processing unit (A), an error processing unit (EP) and an alternate memory. When an error arises in a portion of the main memory, corrected information is stored in the alternate memory. Then, under the control of the error processing unit (EP), the alternate memory is employed instead of the malfunctioning portion of the main memory. The alternate memory is adapted to be used only when the error is a fixed error or a burst error, in order to avoid a system shut-down caused by fixed- and soft-errors or burst- and soft-errors which occur during information processing. The alternate memory, therefore, is not used in a case where the error is a soft error. This imparts an additional advantage in that the size of the memory is reduced.