Condensed Consolidating Financial Information (Condensed Consolidating Balance Sheet) (Details) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	Jul. 28, 2012	Jan. 28, 2012	Jul. 30, 2011	Jan. 29, 2011
Current Assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 1,604	$ 2,827	$ 1,495	$ 1,464
Receivables	359	368	296
Merchandise inventories	5,036	5,117	4,948
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	387	465	383
Income taxes	0		0
Total Current Assets	7,386	8,777	7,122
Property and Equipment - net	8,291	8,420	8,506
Goodwill	3,743	3,743	3,743
Other Intangible Assets - net	580	598	618
Other Assets	565	557	519
Deferred Income Tax Assets	0		0
Intercompany Receivable	0	0	0
Investment in Subsidiaries	0	0	0
Total Assets	20,565	22,095	20,508
Current Liabilities:
Short-term debt	313	1,103	914
Merchandise accounts payable	1,895	1,593	1,956
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities	2,078	2,788	2,002
Income taxes	158	371	119
Deferred income taxes	410	408	380
Total Current Liabilities	4,854	6,263	5,371
Long-Term Debt	6,637	6,655	6,162
Intercompany Payable	0	0	0
Deferred Income Taxes	1,134	1,141	1,337
Other Liabilities	2,037	2,103	1,675
Shareholders' Equity (Deficit)	5,903	5,933	5,963
Total Liabilities and Shareholders' Equity	20,565	22,095	20,508
Parent
Current Assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	1,303	2,533	1,182	1,174
Receivables	0	0	0
Merchandise inventories	0	0	0
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	0	0	0
Income taxes	20		4
Total Current Assets	1,323	2,533	1,186
Property and Equipment - net	0	0	0
Goodwill	0	0	0
Other Intangible Assets - net	0	0	0
Other Assets	3	4	4
Deferred Income Tax Assets	11		13
Intercompany Receivable	1,281	520	1,829
Investment in Subsidiaries	3,430	3,210	3,078
Total Assets	6,048	6,267	6,110
Current Liabilities:
Short-term debt	0	0	0
Merchandise accounts payable	0	0	0
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities	113	248	113
Income taxes	0	46	0
Deferred income taxes	0	0	0
Total Current Liabilities	113	294	113
Long-Term Debt	0	0	0
Intercompany Payable	0	0	0
Deferred Income Taxes	0	4	0
Other Liabilities	32	36	34
Shareholders' Equity (Deficit)	5,903	5,933	5,963
Total Liabilities and Shareholders' Equity	6,048	6,267	6,110
Subsidiary Issuer
Current Assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	32	38	34	41
Receivables	76	58	59
Merchandise inventories	2,607	2,722	2,609
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	96	152	101
Income taxes	0		0
Total Current Assets	2,811	2,970	2,803
Property and Equipment - net	4,716	4,827	4,853
Goodwill	3,315	3,315	3,315
Other Intangible Assets - net	138	153	168
Other Assets	67	73	84
Deferred Income Tax Assets	0		0
Intercompany Receivable	0	0	0
Investment in Subsidiaries	2,636	2,435	2,764
Total Assets	13,683	13,773	13,987
Current Liabilities:
Short-term debt	310	1,099	911
Merchandise accounts payable	890	731	948
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities	825	1,103	833
Income taxes	63	29	52
Deferred income taxes	317	314	289
Total Current Liabilities	2,405	3,276	3,033
Long-Term Debt	6,613	6,630	6,135
Intercompany Payable	4,128	3,483	4,562
Deferred Income Taxes	373	351	438
Other Liabilities	757	771	681
Shareholders' Equity (Deficit)	(593)	(738)	(862)
Total Liabilities and Shareholders' Equity	13,683	13,773	13,987
Other Subsidiaries
Current Assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	269	256	279	249
Receivables	283	310	237
Merchandise inventories	2,429	2,395	2,339
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	291	313	282
Income taxes	0		0
Total Current Assets	3,272	3,274	3,137
Property and Equipment - net	3,575	3,593	3,653
Goodwill	428	428	428
Other Intangible Assets - net	442	445	450
Other Assets	495	480	431
Deferred Income Tax Assets	0		0
Intercompany Receivable	2,847	2,963	2,733
Investment in Subsidiaries	0	0	0
Total Assets	11,059	11,183	10,832
Current Liabilities:
Short-term debt	3	4	3
Merchandise accounts payable	1,005	862	1,008
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities	1,140	1,437	1,056
Income taxes	115	296	71
Deferred income taxes	93	94	91
Total Current Liabilities	2,356	2,693	2,229
Long-Term Debt	24	25	27
Intercompany Payable	0	0	0
Deferred Income Taxes	772	786	912
Other Liabilities	1,248	1,296	960
Shareholders' Equity (Deficit)	6,659	6,383	6,704
Total Liabilities and Shareholders' Equity	11,059	11,183	10,832
Consolidating Adjustments
Current Assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	0	0	0	0
Receivables	0	0	0
Merchandise inventories	0	0	0
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	0	0	0
Income taxes	(20)		(4)
Total Current Assets	(20)	0	(4)
Property and Equipment - net	0	0	0
Goodwill	0	0	0
Other Intangible Assets - net	0	0	0
Other Assets	0	0	0
Deferred Income Tax Assets	(11)		(13)
Intercompany Receivable	(4,128)	(3,483)	(4,562)
Investment in Subsidiaries	(6,066)	(5,645)	(5,842)
Total Assets	(10,225)	(9,128)	(10,421)
Current Liabilities:
Short-term debt	0	0	0
Merchandise accounts payable	0	0	0
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities	0	0	0
Income taxes	(20)	0	(4)
Deferred income taxes	0	0	0
Total Current Liabilities	(20)	0	(4)
Long-Term Debt	0	0	0
Intercompany Payable	(4,128)	(3,483)	(4,562)
Deferred Income Taxes	(11)	0	(13)
Other Liabilities	0	0	0
Shareholders' Equity (Deficit)	(6,066)	(5,645)	(5,842)
Total Liabilities and Shareholders' Equity	$ (10,225)	$ (9,128)	$ (10,421)