SEGMENT INFORMATION Reconciliation of Reportable Results (Details) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
	Oct. 31, 2011	Oct. 31, 2010	Oct. 31, 2009
Reconciliation between segment results and enterprise results [Abstract]
Restructuring related costs	$ (2)	$ (65)	$ (252)
Asset impairments	(9)	(19)	(44)
Transformational programs	(51)	(39)	0
Amortization of intangibles	(113)	(77)	(45)
Retirement plans net curtailment and settlement	1	0	16
Acquisition and integration costs	(54)	(102)	0
Varian acquisition related fair value adjustments	(9)	(51)	0
Other	(2)	(19)	(19)
Interest Income	14	20	29
Interest Expense	(86)	(96)	(88)
Gain on sale of network solutions division, net	0	132	0
Other income (expense), net	33	70	19
Income before taxes	1,032	692	7
Segment assets and capital expenditures [Abstract]
Assets	5,765	5,444
Capital expenditures	188	121	128
Reconciliation of assets from segment to consolidated [Abstract]
Total reportable segments' assets	5,765	5,444
Cash, cash equivalents and short-term investments	3,527	4,199
Prepaid expenses	107	118
Investments	114	135
Long-term and other receivables	221	283
Other, including valuation allowance	(677)	(483)
Total assets	9,057	9,696
Major customer percentage of total net revenue		No customer represented 10 percent or more of our total net revenue in 2011, 2010 or 2009.
Entity Wide Disclosure On Geographic Areas Attributed To Individual Foreign Countries [Line Items]
Net revenue	6,615	5,444	4,481
Long-lived assets	1,288	1,349
United States [Member]
Entity Wide Disclosure On Geographic Areas Attributed To Individual Foreign Countries [Line Items]
Net revenue	2,016	1,760	1,495
Long-lived assets	567	654
China [Member]
Entity Wide Disclosure On Geographic Areas Attributed To Individual Foreign Countries [Line Items]
Net revenue	1,035	744	598
Japan [Member]
Entity Wide Disclosure On Geographic Areas Attributed To Individual Foreign Countries [Line Items]
Net revenue	700	549	476
Long-lived assets	170	180
Rest Of World [Member]
Entity Wide Disclosure On Geographic Areas Attributed To Individual Foreign Countries [Line Items]
Net revenue	2,864	2,391	1,912
Long-lived assets	551	515
Life Sciences [Member]
Segment assets and capital expenditures [Abstract]
Assets	1,837	1,564
Capital expenditures	41	30
Reconciliation of assets from segment to consolidated [Abstract]
Total reportable segments' assets	1,837	1,564
Chemical Analysis [Member]
Segment assets and capital expenditures [Abstract]
Assets	1,772	1,635
Capital expenditures	23	15
Reconciliation of assets from segment to consolidated [Abstract]
Total reportable segments' assets	1,772	1,635
Electronic Measurement [Member]
Segment assets and capital expenditures [Abstract]
Assets	2,156	2,245
Capital expenditures	124	76
Reconciliation of assets from segment to consolidated [Abstract]
Total reportable segments' assets	$ 2,156	$ 2,245