Equity Method Investments (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended			1 Months Ended	3 Months Ended				6 Months Ended		12 Months Ended			6 Months Ended	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended		12 Months Ended		3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Mar. 01, 2012	Mar. 03, 2011	Mar. 01, 2012	Mar. 03, 2011	Sep. 01, 2011	Mar. 31, 2012 Inotera [Member]	Mar. 01, 2012 Inotera [Member]	Mar. 01, 2012 Inotera [Member]	Dec. 01, 2011 Inotera [Member]	Mar. 03, 2011 Inotera [Member]	Mar. 01, 2012 Inotera [Member]	Mar. 03, 2011 Inotera [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Inotera [Member]	Dec. 20, 2011 Inotera [Member]	Sep. 01, 2011 Inotera [Member]	Aug. 30, 2012 Inotera [Member] Scenario, Forecast [Member]	Mar. 01, 2012 Transform Solar Pty Limited ('Transform') [Member]	Mar. 03, 2011 Transform Solar Pty Limited ('Transform') [Member]	Mar. 01, 2012 Transform Solar Pty Limited ('Transform') [Member]	Mar. 03, 2011 Transform Solar Pty Limited ('Transform') [Member]	Sep. 02, 2010 Transform Solar Pty Limited ('Transform') [Member]	Sep. 01, 2011 Transform Solar Pty Limited ('Transform') [Member]	Mar. 01, 2012 Other [Member]	Mar. 03, 2011 Other [Member]	Mar. 01, 2012 Other [Member]	Mar. 03, 2011 Other [Member]	Sep. 01, 2011 Other [Member]	Mar. 01, 2012 Aptina [Member]	Mar. 01, 2012 Aptina [Member] Other [Member]
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Investment Balance	$ 335,000,000		$ 335,000,000		$ 483,000,000		$ 259,000,000	$ 259,000,000			$ 259,000,000				$ 388,000,000		$ 75,000,000		$ 75,000,000			$ 87,000,000	$ 1,000,000		$ 1,000,000		$ 8,000,000	$ 0
Ownership Percentage (in hundredths)						39.70%	29.70%	29.70%			29.70%				29.70%		50.00%		50.00%			50.00%							35.00%
Income Loss From Equity Method Investments Before Amortization And Other								(64,000,000)		(45,000,000)	(136,000,000)	(71,000,000)
Equity Method Investments Amortization Of Difference Between Cost And Underlying Equity In Net Assets								12,000,000		12,000,000	24,000,000	24,000,000
Income Loss From Equity Method Investments Other Adjustments								(4,000,000)		(2,000,000)	(7,000,000)	(2,000,000)
Equity in net income (loss) of equity method investees, net of tax	(73,000,000)	(48,000,000)	(147,000,000)	(74,000,000)				(56,000,000)		(35,000,000)	(119,000,000)	(49,000,000)					(15,000,000)	(9,000,000)	(22,000,000)	(16,000,000)			(2,000,000)	(4,000,000)	(6,000,000)	(9,000,000)
Maximum exposure to loss related variable interest entities							354,000,000	354,000,000			354,000,000						76,000,000		76,000,000
Percentage of Inotera's wafer production obligated to purchase (in hundredths)			50.00%
Inotera amortization remaining to be recognized							50,000,000	50,000,000			50,000,000
Remaining Inotera amortization in 2012																25,000,000
Equity Method Investment, Summarized Financial Information [Abstract]
Inotera net loss													737,000,000
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								142,000,000		167,000,000	298,000,000	304,000,000
Loss on our purchase commitment under the Inotera Supply Agreement								19,000,000	40,000,000
Market value of equity interest in Inotera							404,000,000	404,000,000			404,000,000
Equity method investment net carrying value							213,000,000	213,000,000			213,000,000
Amount in accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) for cumulative translation adjustments on its investment							46,000,000	46,000,000			46,000,000				65,000,000
Reduction in research and development costs under cost sharing arrangement	36,000,000	33,000,000	73,000,000	63,000,000
Royalty revenue from Nanya for sales of stack DRAM products	1,000,000	6,000,000	4,000,000	13,000,000
Ownership percentage after stock transactions during period (in hundredths)																					50.00%
Percentage interest held by a third party (in hundredths)							30.40%	30.40%			30.40%						50.00%		50.00%
Payments to acquire equity method investments			7,000,000	11,000,000		170,000,000											4,000,000	4,000,000	7,000,000	11,000,000
Payments by third party to acquire interest in equity method investment of the entity.																	$ 4,000,000	$ 4,000,000	$ 7,000,000	$ 11,000,000