Income Taxes (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
	Oct. 31, 2012	Oct. 31, 2011	Oct. 31, 2010
Reconciliation of Company's effective tax rate from federal statutory rate
Federal tax (benefit) provision at statutory rate	$ 39,530	$ (10,278)	$ (41,015)
State taxes, net of federal benefit	4,711	(954)	(3,809)
Reversal of accrual for uncertain tax positions	(34,167)	(52,306)	(39,485)
Accrued interest on anticipated tax assessments	5,000	3,055	9,263
Increase in unrecognized tax benefits	5,489		35,575
Increase in deferred tax assets-net		(25,948)
Income tax rate reconciliation Increase in deferred tax valuation allowance		43,876	55,492
Valuation allowance - reversed	(394,718)	(25,689)	(128,640)
Other	(49)	(917)	(1,194)
Income tax benefit	$ (374,204)	$ (69,161)	$ (113,813)
Federal tax (benefit) provision at statutory rate, percentage	35.00%	35.00%	35.00%
State taxes net of federal benefit, percentage	4.20%	3.20%	3.30%
Reversal of state tax provisions- finalization of audits, percentage	(30.30%)	178.10%	33.70%
Accrued interest on anticipated tax assessments, percentage	4.40%	(10.40%)	(7.90%)
Increase in unrecognized tax benefits, percentage	4.90%		(30.40%)
Increase in deferred tax assets-net, percentage		(88.40%)
Effective income tax rate reconciliation increase in valuation allowance, percentage		(149.40%)	(47.40%)
Valuation allowance - reversed, percentage	349.50%	(87.50%)	(109.80%)
Other, percentage	0.00%	3.10%	1.00%
Tax provision (benefit), percentage	(331.00%)	235.50%	97.00%