Equity Method Investments (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended			1 Months Ended	3 Months Ended			9 Months Ended		3 Months Ended		12 Months Ended		3 Months Ended
	Dec. 01, 2011	Dec. 02, 2010	Sep. 01, 2011	Dec. 31, 2011 Inotera [Member]	Dec. 01, 2011 Inotera [Member]	Sep. 01, 2011 Inotera [Member]	Dec. 02, 2010 Inotera [Member]	Aug. 30, 2012 Inotera [Member]	Sep. 30, 2011 Inotera [Member]	Dec. 01, 2011 Transform Solar Pty Limited ('Transform') [Member]	Dec. 02, 2010 Transform Solar Pty Limited ('Transform') [Member]	Sep. 02, 2010 Transform Solar Pty Limited ('Transform') [Member]	Sep. 01, 2011 Transform Solar Pty Limited ('Transform') [Member]	Dec. 01, 2011 Other [Member]	Dec. 02, 2010 Other [Member]	Sep. 01, 2011 Other [Member]
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Investment Balance	$ 397,000,000		$ 483,000,000		$ 308,000,000	$ 388,000,000				$ 85,000,000			$ 87,000,000	$ 4,000,000		$ 8,000,000
Ownership Percentage (in hundredths)					29.70%	29.70%				50.00%			50.00%
Income Loss From Equity Method Investments Before Amortization And Other					(72,000,000)		(26,000,000)
Equity Method Investments Amortization Of Difference Between Cost And Underlying Equity In Net Assets					12,000,000		12,000,000
Income Loss From Equity Method Investments Other Adjustments					(3,000,000)		0
Equity in net income (loss) of equity method investees, net of tax	(74,000,000)	(26,000,000)			(63,000,000)		(14,000,000)			(7,000,000)	(7,000,000)			(4,000,000)	(5,000,000)
Maximum exposure to loss related variable interest entities					265,000,000					87,000,000
Percentage of Inotera's wafer production obligated to purchase (in hundredths)	50.00%
Percentage interest held by a third party (in hundredths)					30.40%					50.00%
Inotera amortization remaining to be recognized					62,000,000
Remaining Inotera amortization in 2012								37,000,000
Equity Method Investment, Summarized Financial Information [Abstract]
Inotera net loss									521,000,000
Inotera current liabilities that exceed current assets									2,200,000,000
Related Party Transaction, Due from (to) Related Party, Current [Abstract]
Amount loaned to Inotera				133,000,000
Inotera loan stated annual interest rate				2.00%
Purchases of DRAM products from Inotera					156,000,000		137,000,000
Loss on our purchase commitment under the Inotera Supply Agreement					40,000,000	28,000,000
Market value of equity interest in Inotera					187,000,000
Equity method investment net carrying value					264,000,000
Amount in accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) for cumulative translation adjustments on its investment					44,000,000	65,000,000
Reduction in research and development costs under cost sharing arrangement	37,000,000	30,000,000
Royalty revenue from Nanya for sales of stack DRAM products	3,000,000	7,000,000
Ownership percentage after stock transactions during period (in hundredths)												50.00%
Payments to acquire equity method investments										3,000,000	7,000,000
Payments by third party to acquire interest in equity method investment of the entity.										$ 3,000,000	$ 7,000,000