Condensed Consolidating Financial Information of Guarantor Subsidiaries CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING BALANCE SHEETS (Details) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	Jun. 30, 2012		Dec. 31, 2011		Jun. 30, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010
ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 41		$ 36		$ 58	$ 203
Accounts receivable, net	704		464
Intercompany receivable (payable)	0		0
Inventory	102		44
Prepaid expenses and other assets	106		75
Deferred taxes	66		104
Total current assets	1,019		723
Rental equipment, net	5,095		2,617
Property and equipment, net	419		366
Investments in subsidiaries	0		0
Goodwill and other intangibles, net	4,281		372
Other long-term assets	128		65
Total assets	10,942		4,143
LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY (DEFICIT)
Short-term debt and current maturities of long-term debt	421	[1]	395	[1]
Accounts payable	605		206
Accrued expenses and other liabilities	395		263
Total current liabilities	1,421		864
Long-term debt	6,868		2,592
Subordinated convertible debentures	55		55
Deferred taxes	1,106		470
Other long-term liabilities	62		59
Total liabilities	9,512		4,040
Temporary equity (note 8)	35		39
Total stockholders' equity (deficit)	1,395		64
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity	10,942		4,143
Parent [Member]
ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	0		0		0	0
Accounts receivable, net	0		0
Intercompany receivable (payable)	72		114
Inventory	0		0
Prepaid expenses and other assets	0		0
Deferred taxes	0		0
Total current assets	72		114
Rental equipment, net	0		0
Property and equipment, net	43		41
Investments in subsidiaries	1,517		227
Goodwill and other intangibles, net	0		0
Other long-term assets	5		4
Total assets	1,637		386
LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY (DEFICIT)
Short-term debt and current maturities of long-term debt	133		129
Accounts payable	0		0
Accrued expenses and other liabilities	1		31
Total current liabilities	134		160
Long-term debt	0		0
Subordinated convertible debentures	55		55
Deferred taxes	17		16
Other long-term liabilities	1		52
Total liabilities	207		283
Temporary equity (note 8)	35		39
Total stockholders' equity (deficit)	1,395		64
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity	1,637		386
URNA [Member]
Condensed Financial Information Other Details [Abstract]
Ownership Percentage In Subsidiaries			100.00%
ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	14		6		3	4
Accounts receivable, net	17		19
Intercompany receivable (payable)	2		(876)
Inventory	88		21
Prepaid expenses and other assets	95		55
Deferred taxes	64		100
Total current assets	280		(675)
Rental equipment, net	4,493		1,345
Property and equipment, net	322		177
Investments in subsidiaries	764		2,144
Goodwill and other intangibles, net	4,273		130
Other long-term assets	122		60
Total assets	10,254		3,181
LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY (DEFICIT)
Short-term debt and current maturities of long-term debt	35		8
Accounts payable	549		120
Accrued expenses and other liabilities	342		139
Total current liabilities	926		267
Long-term debt	6,725		2,444
Subordinated convertible debentures	0		0
Deferred taxes	1,027		241
Other long-term liabilities	59		2
Total liabilities	8,737		2,954
Temporary equity (note 8)	0		0
Total stockholders' equity (deficit)	1,517		227
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity	10,254		3,181
Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Condensed Financial Information Other Details [Abstract]
Ownership Percentage In Subsidiaries			100.00%
ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	0		0		0	0
Accounts receivable, net	0		9
Intercompany receivable (payable)	(64)		772
Inventory	0		15
Prepaid expenses and other assets	1		1
Deferred taxes	0		3
Total current assets	(63)		800
Rental equipment, net	0		836
Property and equipment, net	20		120
Investments in subsidiaries	494		462
Goodwill and other intangibles, net	0		102
Other long-term assets	0		1
Total assets	451		2,321
LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY (DEFICIT)
Short-term debt and current maturities of long-term debt	0		0
Accounts payable	0		47
Accrued expenses and other liabilities	22		48
Total current liabilities	22		95
Long-term debt	139		142
Subordinated convertible debentures	0		0
Deferred taxes	0		165
Other long-term liabilities	0		2
Total liabilities	161		404
Temporary equity (note 8)	0		0
Total stockholders' equity (deficit)	290		1,917
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity	451		2,321
Non Guarantor Subsidiaries Foreign [Member]
ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	27		30		55	199
Accounts receivable, net	106		98
Intercompany receivable (payable)	(155)		(154)
Inventory	14		8
Prepaid expenses and other assets	10		19
Deferred taxes	2		1
Total current assets	4		2
Rental equipment, net	602		436
Property and equipment, net	34		28
Investments in subsidiaries	0		0
Goodwill and other intangibles, net	8		140
Other long-term assets	1		0
Total assets	649		606
LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY (DEFICIT)
Short-term debt and current maturities of long-term debt	1		3
Accounts payable	56		39
Accrued expenses and other liabilities	30		45
Total current liabilities	87		87
Long-term debt	4		6
Subordinated convertible debentures	0		0
Deferred taxes	62		48
Other long-term liabilities	2		3
Total liabilities	155		144
Temporary equity (note 8)	0		0
Total stockholders' equity (deficit)	494		462
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity	649		606
Non Guarantor Subsidiaries SPV [Member]
ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	0		0		0	0
Accounts receivable, net	581		338
Intercompany receivable (payable)	(1)		0
Inventory	0		0
Prepaid expenses and other assets	0		0
Deferred taxes	0		0
Total current assets	580		338
Rental equipment, net	0		0
Property and equipment, net	0		0
Investments in subsidiaries	0		0
Goodwill and other intangibles, net	0		0
Other long-term assets	0		0
Total assets	580		338
LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY (DEFICIT)
Short-term debt and current maturities of long-term debt	252		255
Accounts payable	0		0
Accrued expenses and other liabilities	0		0
Total current liabilities	252		255
Long-term debt	0		0
Subordinated convertible debentures	0		0
Deferred taxes	0		0
Other long-term liabilities	0		0
Total liabilities	252		255
Temporary equity (note 8)	0		0
Total stockholders' equity (deficit)	328		83
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity	580		338
Eliminations [Member]
ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	0		0		0	0
Accounts receivable, net	0		0
Intercompany receivable (payable)	146		144
Inventory	0		0
Prepaid expenses and other assets	0		0
Deferred taxes	0		0
Total current assets	146		144
Rental equipment, net	0		0
Property and equipment, net	0		0
Investments in subsidiaries	(2,775)		(2,833)
Goodwill and other intangibles, net	0		0
Other long-term assets	0		0
Total assets	(2,629)		(2,689)
LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY (DEFICIT)
Short-term debt and current maturities of long-term debt	0		0
Accounts payable	0		0
Accrued expenses and other liabilities	0		0
Total current liabilities	0		0
Long-term debt	0		0
Subordinated convertible debentures	0		0
Deferred taxes	0		0
Other long-term liabilities	0		0
Total liabilities	0		0
Temporary equity (note 8)	0		0
Total stockholders' equity (deficit)	(2,629)		(2,689)
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity	$ (2,629)		$ (2,689)

[1] As of June 30, 2012, our short-term debt primarily reflects $252 of borrowings under our accounts receivable securitization facility and $133 of 4 percent Convertible Senior Notes. The 4 percent Convertible Senior Notes mature in 2015, but are reflected as short-term debt because they are redeemable at June 30, 2012.