Data that are stored in cells of a multi-bit-per cell memory, according to a systematic or non-systematic ECC, are read and corrected (systematic ECC) or recovered (non-systematic ECC) in accordance with estimated probabilities that one or more of the read bits are erroneous. In one method of the present invention, the estimates are a priori. In another method of the present invention, the estimates are based only on aspects of the read bits that include significances or bit pages of the read bits. In a third method of the present invention, the estimates are based only on values of the read bits. Not all the estimates are equal.