Segment Information (Detail) (USD $)	12 Months Ended
	Oct. 31, 2014 segment	Oct. 31, 2013	Oct. 31, 2012
Segment Information
Number of reportable segments	7
Segment Reporting Information
Advance royalty proceeds received from intercompany licensing arrangements	$ 10,400,000,000
Royalty to be earned in the fiscal years 2015 through 2029	9,900,000,000
Net revenue	111,454,000,000	112,298,000,000	120,357,000,000
Earnings (loss) from operations	7,185,000,000	7,131,000,000	(11,057,000,000)
Eliminations of inter-segment net revenue and other
Segment Reporting Information
Net revenue	(3,773,000,000)	(3,593,000,000)	(3,708,000,000)
Operating segments
Segment Reporting Information
Net revenue	115,227,000,000	115,891,000,000	124,065,000,000
Earnings (loss) from operations	11,328,000,000	10,802,000,000	12,495,000,000
Enterprise Group
Segment Reporting Information
Net revenue	26,809,000,000	27,045,000,000	28,349,000,000
Enterprise Group | Eliminations of inter-segment net revenue and other
Segment Reporting Information
Net revenue	(1,005,000,000)	(1,036,000,000)	(1,294,000,000)
Enterprise Group | Operating segments
Segment Reporting Information
Net revenue	27,814,000,000	28,081,000,000	29,643,000,000
Earnings (loss) from operations	4,008,000,000	4,259,000,000	5,123,000,000
Enterprise Services
Segment Reporting Information
Net revenue	21,297,000,000	23,041,000,000	25,090,000,000
Enterprise Services | Eliminations of inter-segment net revenue and other
Segment Reporting Information
Net revenue	(1,101,000,000)	(1,020,000,000)	(903,000,000)
Enterprise Services | Operating segments
Segment Reporting Information
Net revenue	22,398,000,000	24,061,000,000	25,993,000,000
Earnings (loss) from operations	803,000,000	679,000,000	1,045,000,000
Software
Segment Reporting Information
Net revenue	3,607,000,000	3,701,000,000	3,868,000,000
Software | Eliminations of inter-segment net revenue and other
Segment Reporting Information
Net revenue	(326,000,000)	(320,000,000)	(303,000,000)
Software | Operating segments
Segment Reporting Information
Net revenue	3,933,000,000	4,021,000,000	4,171,000,000
Earnings (loss) from operations	872,000,000	868,000,000	836,000,000
HP Financial Services
Segment Reporting Information
Net revenue	3,416,000,000	3,570,000,000	3,784,000,000
HP Financial Services | Eliminations of inter-segment net revenue and other
Segment Reporting Information
Net revenue	(82,000,000)	(59,000,000)	(35,000,000)
HP Financial Services | Operating segments
Segment Reporting Information
Net revenue	3,498,000,000	3,629,000,000	3,819,000,000
Earnings (loss) from operations	389,000,000	399,000,000	388,000,000
Corporate Investments
Segment Reporting Information
Net revenue	302,000,000	24,000,000	57,000,000
Corporate Investments | Eliminations of inter-segment net revenue and other
Segment Reporting Information
Net revenue			(1,000,000)
Corporate Investments | Operating segments
Segment Reporting Information
Net revenue	302,000,000	24,000,000	58,000,000
Earnings (loss) from operations	(199,000,000)	(316,000,000)	(233,000,000)
Printing and Personal Systems Group | Operating segments
Segment Reporting Information
Net revenue	57,282,000,000	56,075,000,000	60,381,000,000
Printing and Personal Systems Group | Personal Systems
Segment Reporting Information
Net revenue	33,304,000,000	31,232,000,000	34,892,000,000
Printing and Personal Systems Group | Personal Systems | Eliminations of inter-segment net revenue and other
Segment Reporting Information
Net revenue	(999,000,000)	(947,000,000)	(951,000,000)
Printing and Personal Systems Group | Personal Systems | Operating segments
Segment Reporting Information
Net revenue	34,303,000,000	32,179,000,000	35,843,000,000
Earnings (loss) from operations	1,270,000,000	980,000,000	1,724,000,000
Printing and Personal Systems Group | Printing
Segment Reporting Information
Net revenue	22,719,000,000	23,685,000,000	24,317,000,000
Printing and Personal Systems Group | Printing | Eliminations of inter-segment net revenue and other
Segment Reporting Information
Net revenue	(260,000,000)	(211,000,000)	(221,000,000)
Printing and Personal Systems Group | Printing | Operating segments
Segment Reporting Information
Net revenue	22,979,000,000	23,896,000,000	24,538,000,000
Earnings (loss) from operations	$ 4,185,000,000	$ 3,933,000,000	$ 3,612,000,000