Fair Value Measurements - Assets measured (Details) (USD $) In Millions	Sep. 01, 2011		Sep. 02, 2010
Fair Value, Assets Measured on Recurring Basis, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Money market	$ 1,462	[1]	$ 2,170	[1]
Certificates of deposit	155	[2]	705	[2]
Marketable equity investments	52	[3]	19	[3]
Assets held for sale	35	[3]	56	[3]
Total assets measured at fair value on a recurring basis	1,704		2,950
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis [Abstract]
Certificates of deposit included in cash and equivalents			371
Certificates of deposit included in restricted cash			334
Marketable equity investments gross gains included in accumulated other comprehensive income	32
Marketable equity investments gross losses included in accumulated other comprehensive income	7
Tower Semiconductor Ltd. shares received in Japan Fab disposition (in shares)	20
Level 1 [Member]
Fair Value, Assets Measured on Recurring Basis, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Money market	1,462	[1]	2,170	[1]
Certificates of deposit	0	[2]	0	[2]
Marketable equity investments	37	[3]	19	[3]
Assets held for sale	0	[3]	0	[3]
Total assets measured at fair value on a recurring basis	1,499		2,189
Level 2 [Member]
Fair Value, Assets Measured on Recurring Basis, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Money market	0	[1]	0	[1]
Certificates of deposit	155	[2]	705	[2]
Marketable equity investments	15	[3]	0	[3]
Assets held for sale	0	[3]	0	[3]
Total assets measured at fair value on a recurring basis	170		705
Level 3 [Member]
Fair Value, Assets Measured on Recurring Basis, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Money market	0	[1]	0	[1]
Certificates of deposit	0	[2]	0	[2]
Marketable equity investments	0	[3]	0	[3]
Assets held for sale	35	[3]	56	[3]
Total assets measured at fair value on a recurring basis	$ 35		$ 56

[1] Included in cash and equivalents.

[2] Amounts as of September 1, 2011 were included in cash and equivalents. As of September 2, 2010, $371 million was included in cash and equivalents and $334 million was included in restricted cash.

[3] Included in other noncurrent assets.