A method begins by a dispersed storage (DS) processing module updating an encoded data slice of a set of encoded data slices to produce an updated encoded data slice and sending the updated encoded data slice to a first DS unit of a set of DS units. The method continues with the first DS unit storing the updated encoded data slice and generating partial error recovery information to produce a collection of partial error recovery information. The method continues with the first DS unit outputting the collection of partial error recovery information for storage in at least some of the set of DS units. The method continues with one of the at least some of the set of DS units updating error recovery information of an encoded data slice based on a corresponding one of the collection of partial error recovery information.