Methods and apparatus for allowing tables to be adaptively backed up are disclosed. According to one aspect of the present invention, a method for operating a memory system with a non-volatile memory that includes a reserved memory area, a plurality of physical blocks and a plurality of data structures including an erase count block involves determining when contents associated with at least one data structure of the plurality of data structures are to be substantially backed up. A request to substantially back up the contents associated with the at least one data structure is executed when it is determined that the contents associated with the at least one data structure are to be substantially backed up. Executing the request allows contents associated with the at least one data structure are substantially backed up in the reserved memory area.