Stockholders' Equity (Details) (USD $)	12 Months Ended
	Jul. 31, 2011 Years percentage segments		Jul. 31, 2010		Jul. 31, 2009		Aug. 31, 2011
Share-based Compensation [Abstract]
Share-based compensation expense	$ 153,000,000		$ 135,000,000		$ 133,000,000
Income tax benefit	(53,000,000)		(48,000,000)		(48,000,000)
Allocated share-based compensation expense, net of tax	100,000,000		87,000,000		85,000,000
Activity under all share-based compensation plans
Shares available for grant, Beginning Balance	8,761,000		8,086,000		7,976,000
Number of shares, Beginning Balance	32,593,000		45,674,000		50,206,000
Weighted average exercise price per share, Beginning Balance	$ 28.45		$ 26		$ 24.70
Shares available for grant, additional shares authorized	31,000,000		9,000,000		10,000,000
Options assumed and converted in connection with acquisitions			372,000		178,000
Weighted average exercise price per share, options assumed and converted in connection with acquisitions			3.08		6.45
Options granted, shares available for grant	(3,055,000)		(6,338,000)		(6,538,000)
Options granted, number of shares	3,055,000		6,338,000		6,538,000
Options granted, weighted average exercise price per share	$ 47.70		$ 35.93		$ 28.83
Restricted stock units granted, shares available for grant	(8,501,000)	[1]	(5,253,000)		(6,242,000)
Options exercised, number of shares	(11,997,000)		(17,212,000)		(8,760,000)
Options exercised, weighted average exercise price per share	$ 25.68		$ 24		$ 19.37
Options canceled or expired, shares available for grant	915,000	[2]	2,089,000	[2]	2,208,000	[2]
Options canceled or expired, number of shares	(972,000)	[2]	(2,579,000)	[2]	(2,488,000)	[2]
Options canceled or expired, weighted average exercise price per share	$ 31.44	[2]	$ 29.46	[2]	$ 29.20	[2]
Restricted stock units forfeited, shares available for grant	1,596,000	[1],[2]	1,177,000	[2]	682,000	[2]
Shares available for grant, Ending Balance	30,716,000		8,761,000		8,086,000
Number of shares, Ending Balance	22,679,000		32,593,000		45,674,000
Weighted average exercise price per share, Ending Balance	$ 32.38		$ 28.45		$ 26
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Additional Disclosures [Abstract]
Number of shares (in thousands), options outstanding	22,679,000		32,593,000		45,674,000
Weighted average remaining contractual life (in years), options outstanding	4.39
Aggregate intrinsic value (in millions), options outstanding	329,000,000
Number of shares (in thousands), options exercisable and expected to vest	22,118,000
Weighted average remaining contractual life (in years), options exercisable and expected to vest	4.34
Weighted average exercise price per share, options exercisable and expected to vest	$ 32.12
Aggregate intrinsic value (in millions), options exercisable and expected to vest	322,000,000
Number of shares (in thousands), options exercisable	14,271,000
Weighted average remaining contractual life (in years), options exercisable	3.45
Weighted average exercise price per share, options exercisable	$ 28.69
Aggregate intrinsic value (in millions), options exercisable	257,000,000
Additional information regarding stock options, restricted stock and ESPP
Weighted average fair value of options granted	$ 10.44		$ 8.73		$ 7.86
Total fair value of options vested	53,000,000		57,000,000		58,000,000
Aggregate intrinsic value of options exercised	261,000,000		157,000,000		79,000,000
Total tax benefit for stock option, restricted stock and ESPP share-based compensation	53,000,000		48,000,000		48,000,000
Cash received from option exercises	308,000,000		413,000,000		169,000,000
Cash tax benefits realized related to tax deductions for non-qualified option exercises and disqualifying dispositions under all share-based payment arrangements	99,000,000		61,000,000		32,000,000
Summary of restricted stock unit activity
Nonvested, Number of shares, Beginning Balance	11,531,000		9,398,000		4,997,000
Number of shares granted	3,855,000		5,253,000		6,242,000
Nonvested, Weighted Average Grant Date Fair Value, Beginning Balance	$ 30.93		$ 27.06		$ 29.29
Granted, Weighted Average Grant Date Fair Value	$ 47.02		$ 36.24		$ 26.09
Restricted stock units assumed and converted in connection with acquisitions, number of shares			231,000
Restricted stock units assumed and converted in connection with acquisitions, weighted average grant date fair value			$ 29.14
Vested, Number of Shares	(3,474,000)		(2,172,000)		(1,150,000)
Vested, Weighted Average Grant Date Fair Value	$ 26.33		$ 29.30		$ 30.54
Forfeited, Number of Shares	(857,000)		(1,179,000)		(691,000)
Forfeited, Weighted Average Grant Date Fair Value	$ 31.73		$ 26.46		$ 28.53
Nonvested, Number of shares, Ending Balance	11,055,000		11,531,000		9,398,000
Nonvested, Weighted Average Grant Date Fair Value, Ending Balance	$ 37.92		$ 30.93		$ 27.06
Additional information regarding RSUs
Total tax benefit related to RSU share-based compensation expense	53,000,000		48,000,000		48,000,000
Stockholders' Equity (Textuals)
Common stock repurchased, value	1,360,000,000		900,000,000		300,000,000
Dividend per share payable							$ 0.15
Common stock, shares authorized	750,000,000
Decrease in share reserve for each stock option granted	2.3
Increase in share reserve for each stock option forfeited	2.3
Percentage of lower of the closing price for stock on the first day last day of the offering period	85.00%
Shares issued during period for Employee Stock Purchase Plans	840,654		1,120,030		1,368,005
Shares available for issuance under Employee Stock Purchase Plan	1,780,671
Market price of common stock used to define in money options exercise price	$ 46.70
Treasury stock, shares	129,000,000
Common Stock [Member]
Stockholders' Equity (Textuals)
Common stock repurchased, share	28,234,000		28,745,000		10,907,000
Common stock repurchased, value
Current Program [Member]
Stockholders' Equity (Textuals)
Common stock repurchased, value			900,000,000
Stock repurchase program remaining authorized repurchase amount	640,000,000
New Program [Member]
Stockholders' Equity (Textuals)
Authorized amount of stock repurchase program	2,000,000,000
Restated 2005 Plan [Member]
Stockholders' Equity (Textuals)
Common stock, shares authorized	96,000,000
Restated 2005 Plan [Member] | Stock Options [Member]
Stockholders' Equity (Textuals)
Award vesting period	3 years
Number of years until options vest	7 years
Minimum [Member] | Stock Options [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Fair Value Assumptions and Methodology [Abstract]
Expected volatility (range)	27.00%		24.00%		28.00%
Risk-free interest rate (range)	0.87%		1.37%		1.13%
Expected dividend yield	0.00%	[3]	0.00%	[3]	0.00%	[3]
Minimum [Member] | Employee Stock [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Fair Value Assumptions and Methodology [Abstract]
Expected volatility (range)	27.00%		22.00%		35.00%
Risk-free interest rate (range)	0.05%		0.04%		0.04%
Expected dividend yield	0.00%	[3]	0.00%	[3]	0.00%	[3]
Maximum [Member] | Stock Options [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Fair Value Assumptions and Methodology [Abstract]
Expected volatility (range)	30.00%		30.00%		44.00%
Risk-free interest rate (range)	1.91%		2.82%		3.08%
Expected dividend yield	120.00%	[3]	0.00%	[3]	0.00%	[3]
Maximum [Member] | Employee Stock [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Fair Value Assumptions and Methodology [Abstract]
Expected volatility (range)	33.00%		29.00%		53.00%
Risk-free interest rate (range)	0.16%		0.16%		0.84%
Expected dividend yield	0.00%	[3]	0.00%	[3]	0.00%	[3]
Restricted Stock Units (RSUs) [Member]
Share-based Compensation [Abstract]
Income tax benefit	(36,000,000)		(25,000,000)		(26,000,000)
Additional information regarding stock options, restricted stock and ESPP
Share based compensation expense for stock options, restricted stock and ESPP	100,000,000		68,000,000		70,000,000
Total tax benefit for stock option, restricted stock and ESPP share-based compensation	36,000,000		25,000,000		26,000,000
Additional information regarding RSUs
Total fair value of RSUs vested	150,000,000		64,000,000		35,000,000
Share-based compensation for RSUs	100,000,000		68,000,000		70,000,000
Total tax benefit related to RSU share-based compensation expense	36,000,000		25,000,000		26,000,000
Actual tax benefits realized for tax deductions for restricted stock units	36,000,000		24,000,000		14,000,000
Stockholders' Equity (Textuals)
Number of years until options vest	3 years
Unrecognized compensation cost related to non-vested share based compensation expense	238,000,000
Expected weighted average vesting period to recognize compensation cost related to share based compensation expense, in years	2.5
Stock Options Restricted Stock And Espp [Member]
Share-based Compensation [Abstract]
Income tax benefit	(17,000,000)		(24,000,000)		(22,000,000)
Additional information regarding stock options, restricted stock and ESPP
Share based compensation expense for stock options, restricted stock and ESPP	53,000,000		67,000,000		63,000,000
Total tax benefit for stock option, restricted stock and ESPP share-based compensation	17,000,000		24,000,000		22,000,000
Additional information regarding RSUs
Share-based compensation for RSUs	53,000,000		67,000,000		63,000,000
Total tax benefit related to RSU share-based compensation expense	17,000,000		24,000,000		22,000,000
Stock Options And Restricted Stock [Member]
Stockholders' Equity (Textuals)
Unrecognized compensation cost related to non-vested share based compensation expense	69,000,000
Expected weighted average vesting period to recognize compensation cost related to share based compensation expense, in years	2.1
Share Based Compensation Expense [Member]
Decrease in net income per share:
Basic	$ 0.33		$ 0.28		$ 0.26
Diluted	$ 0.32		$ 0.27		$ 0.26
Stock Options [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Fair Value Assumptions and Methodology [Abstract]
Weighted average expected volatility	28.00%		28.00%		31.00%
Employee Stock [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Fair Value Assumptions and Methodology [Abstract]
Weighted average expected volatility	29.00%		26.00%		42.00%
Stockholders' Equity (Textuals)
Common stock, shares authorized	16,800,000
Selling and Marketing Expense [Member]
Share-based Compensation [Abstract]
Share-based compensation expense	46,000,000		41,000,000		45,000,000
Research and Development Expense [Member]
Share-based Compensation [Abstract]
Share-based compensation expense	51,000,000		41,000,000		39,000,000
Sales Revenue, Goods, Net [Member]
Share-based Compensation [Abstract]
Share-based compensation expense	1,000,000		1,000,000		2,000,000
Sales Revenue, Services, Net [Member]
Share-based Compensation [Abstract]
Share-based compensation expense	6,000,000		7,000,000		7,000,000
General and Administrative Expense [Member]
Share-based Compensation [Abstract]
Share-based compensation expense	49,000,000		44,000,000		37,000,000
Segment, Discontinued Operations [Member]
Share-based Compensation [Abstract]
Share-based compensation expense	$ 0		$ 1,000,000		$ 3,000,000

[1] Under the terms of our 2005 Equity Incentive Plan as amended on January 19, 2011, RSUs granted from the pool of shares available for grant on or after November 1, 2010 reduce the pool by 2.3 shares for each share granted. RSUs forfeited and returned to the pool of shares available for grant increase the pool by 2.3 shares for each share forfeited.

[2] Stock options and restricted stock units canceled, expired or forfeited under our 2005 Equity Incentive Plan are returned to the pool of shares available for grant. Stock options and restricted stock units canceled, expired or forfeited under older expired plans are not returned to the pool of shares available for grant.

[3] Expected dividend yield assumption was zero for fiscal 2011 option grants and ESPP purchases prior to July 2011. In August 2011 our Board of Directors declared the first cash dividend in our history and as a result we began using an expected dividend yield assumption in our valuation models. See "Dividends" above for more information.