Condensed Consolidating Financial Information (Condensed Consolidating Balance Sheet) (Details) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	Jan. 28, 2012	Jan. 29, 2011	Jan. 30, 2010	Jan. 31, 2009
Current Assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 2,827	$ 1,464	$ 1,686	$ 1,385
Receivables	368	338
Merchandise inventories	5,117	4,758
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	465	339
Total Current Assets	8,777	6,899
Property and Equipment - net	8,420	8,813
Goodwill	3,743	3,743
Other Intangible Assets - net	598	637
Other Assets	557	539
Deferred Income Tax Assets		0
Intercompany Receivable	0	0
Investment in Subsidiaries	0	0
Total Assets	22,095	20,631
Current Liabilities:
Short-term debt	1,103	454
Merchandise accounts payable	1,593	1,421
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities	2,788	2,525
Income taxes	371	182
Deferred income taxes	408	409
Total Current Liabilities	6,263	4,991
Long-Term Debt	6,655	6,971
Intercompany Payable	0	0
Deferred Income Taxes	1,141	1,200
Other Liabilities	2,103	1,939
Shareholders' Equity (Deficit)	5,933	5,530	4,653	4,620
Total Liabilities and Shareholders' Equity	22,095	20,631
Parent
Current Assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	2,533	1,174	1,318	1,047
Receivables	0	0
Merchandise inventories	0	0
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	0	0
Total Current Assets	2,533	1,174
Property and Equipment - net	0	0
Goodwill	0	0
Other Intangible Assets - net	0	0
Other Assets	4	4
Deferred Income Tax Assets		19
Intercompany Receivable	520	1,651
Investment in Subsidiaries	3,210	2,908
Total Assets	6,267	5,756
Current Liabilities:
Short-term debt	0	0
Merchandise accounts payable	0	0
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities	248	144
Income taxes	46	29
Deferred income taxes	0	0
Total Current Liabilities	294	173
Long-Term Debt	0	0
Intercompany Payable	0	0
Deferred Income Taxes	4	0
Other Liabilities	36	53
Shareholders' Equity (Deficit)	5,933	5,530
Total Liabilities and Shareholders' Equity	6,267	5,756
Subsidiary Issuer
Current Assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	38	41	60	68
Receivables	58	89
Merchandise inventories	2,722	2,589
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	152	98
Total Current Assets	2,970	2,817
Property and Equipment - net	4,827	5,013
Goodwill	3,315	3,315
Other Intangible Assets - net	153	184
Other Assets	73	133
Deferred Income Tax Assets		0
Intercompany Receivable	0	0
Investment in Subsidiaries	2,435	2,598
Total Assets	13,773	14,060
Current Liabilities:
Short-term debt	1,099	451
Merchandise accounts payable	731	680
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities	1,103	1,031
Income taxes	29	18
Deferred income taxes	314	299
Total Current Liabilities	3,276	2,479
Long-Term Debt	6,630	6,942
Intercompany Payable	3,483	4,388
Deferred Income Taxes	351	387
Other Liabilities	771	786
Shareholders' Equity (Deficit)	(738)	(922)
Total Liabilities and Shareholders' Equity	13,773	14,060
Other Subsidiaries
Current Assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	256	249	308	270
Receivables	310	249
Merchandise inventories	2,395	2,169
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	313	241
Total Current Assets	3,274	2,908
Property and Equipment - net	3,593	3,800
Goodwill	428	428
Other Intangible Assets - net	445	453
Other Assets	480	402
Deferred Income Tax Assets		0
Intercompany Receivable	2,963	2,737
Investment in Subsidiaries	0	0
Total Assets	11,183	10,728
Current Liabilities:
Short-term debt	4	3
Merchandise accounts payable	862	741
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities	1,437	1,350
Income taxes	296	135
Deferred income taxes	94	110
Total Current Liabilities	2,693	2,339
Long-Term Debt	25	29
Intercompany Payable	0	0
Deferred Income Taxes	786	832
Other Liabilities	1,296	1,100
Shareholders' Equity (Deficit)	6,383	6,428
Total Liabilities and Shareholders' Equity	11,183	10,728
Consolidating Adjustments
Current Assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	0	0	0	0
Receivables	0	0
Merchandise inventories	0	0
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	0	0
Total Current Assets	0	0
Property and Equipment - net	0	0
Goodwill	0	0
Other Intangible Assets - net	0	0
Other Assets	0	0
Deferred Income Tax Assets		(19)
Intercompany Receivable	(3,483)	(4,388)
Investment in Subsidiaries	(5,645)	(5,506)
Total Assets	(9,128)	(9,913)
Current Liabilities:
Short-term debt	0	0
Merchandise accounts payable	0	0
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities	0	0
Income taxes	0	0
Deferred income taxes	0	0
Total Current Liabilities	0	0
Long-Term Debt	0	0
Intercompany Payable	(3,483)	(4,388)
Deferred Income Taxes	0	(19)
Other Liabilities	0	0
Shareholders' Equity (Deficit)	(5,645)	(5,506)
Total Liabilities and Shareholders' Equity	$ (9,128)	$ (9,913)