A method for scrubbing storage in a computer memory which includes a plurality of memory modules each having plurality of memory chips. The method includes selecting a pattern that correlates with physical structures for scanning the memory chips of the memory modules for errors, scanning a memory chip of a memory module for errors based upon the selected pattern. The method further includes successively scanning remaining memory chips of the respective memory module for errors when an error is found in the scanned memory chip, and scanning a memory chip of another memory module when an error is not found in the scanned memory chip of the respective memory module.