Investments (Details) (USD $) In Millions	3 Months Ended	9 Months Ended
Oct. 28, 2011	Oct. 28, 2011	Jan. 28, 2011
Investments:
Unrealized gains of investments	$ (63)	$ (63)	$ (2)
Other than Temporary Impairment Losses, Investments, Portion Recognized in Earnings, Net, Available-for-sale Securities	39
Unrealized losses of investments	(5)	(5)	(1)
Total investments at fair value	2,728	2,728	1,156
Total investments at amortized cost	2,670	2,670	1,155
Debt securities contractual maturity period		less than five years
Short-term Investments [Member]
Investments:
Fair value of debt securities	545	545	452
Amortized cost of debt securities	545	545	451
Unrealized gains of investments	0	0	(1)
Unrealized losses of investments	0	0	0
Short-term Investments [Member] \| US Treasury and Government [Member]
Investments:
Fair value of debt securities	0	0	58
Amortized cost of debt securities	0	0	58
Unrealized gains of investments	0	0	0
Unrealized losses of investments	0	0	0
Short-term Investments [Member] \| Domestic Corporate Debt Securities [Member]
Investments:
Fair value of debt securities	260	260	254
Amortized cost of debt securities	260	260	253
Unrealized gains of investments	0	0	(1)
Unrealized losses of investments	0	0	0
Short-term Investments [Member] \| Foreign Corporate Debt Securities [Member]
Investments:
Fair value of debt securities	285	285	140
Amortized cost of debt securities	285	285	140
Unrealized gains of investments	0	0	0
Unrealized losses of investments	0	0	0
Equity and Other Securities [Member] \| Long term investments [Member]
Investments:
Unrealized gains of investments	60	60	0
Unrealized losses of investments	0	0	0
Long term investments [Member]
Investments:
Fair value of debt securities	2,183	2,183	704
Amortized cost of debt securities	2,125	2,125	704
Unrealized gains of investments	(63)	(63)	(1)
Unrealized losses of investments	(5)	(5)	(1)
Fair value of equity and other securities	182	182	124
Amortized cost of equity and other securities	122	122	124
Long term investments [Member] \| US Treasury and Government [Member]
Investments:
Fair value of debt securities	0	0	21
Amortized cost of debt securities	0	0	20
Unrealized gains of investments	0	0	(1)
Unrealized losses of investments	0	0	0
Long term investments [Member] \| Domestic Corporate Debt Securities [Member]
Investments:
Fair value of debt securities	1,480	1,480	242
Amortized cost of debt securities	1,481	1,481	243
Unrealized gains of investments	(2)	(2)	0
Unrealized losses of investments	(3)	(3)	(1)
Long term investments [Member] \| Foreign Corporate Debt Securities [Member]
Investments:
Fair value of debt securities	521	521	317
Amortized cost of debt securities	522	522	317
Unrealized gains of investments	(1)	(1)	0
Unrealized losses of investments	$ (2)	$ (2)	$ 0

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