1. A method of preserving data stored in a variable resistance memory cell, said method comprising: determining whether the variable resistance memory cell needs to be refreshed; determining whether system resources are available to refresh the variable resistance memory cell; if the variable resistance memory cell needs to be refreshed and if system resources do not become available within a predetermined period of time, forcing at least some system resources to be relinquished and available; and refreshing the variable resistance memory cell using the at least some available system resources.