Stock Repurchase Program - Additional Information (Detail) (USD $)	12 Months Ended
	Aug. 25, 2012	Aug. 27, 2011	Aug. 28, 2010	Mar. 07, 2012
Treasury stock acquired repurchase authorization	During 1998, the Company announced a program permitting the Company to repurchase a portion of its outstanding shares not to exceed a dollar maximum established by the Board. The program was last amended on March 7, 2012 to increase the repurchase authorization to $11.90 billion from $11.15 billion. From January 1998 to August 25, 2012, the Company has repurchased a total of 131.1 million shares at an aggregate cost of $11.5 billion.
Stock Repurchased Authorized Value	$ 11,900,000,000			$ 11,150,000,000
Stock repurchased during period, shares	629,168
Purchase of treasury stock	(1,362,869,000)	(1,466,802,000)	(1,123,655,000)
Subsequent Event [Member]
Stock Repurchased Authorized Value	12,650,000,000
Increase in authorized stock repurchased, value	750,000,000
Repurchase of Equity [Member]
Purchase of treasury stock	234,600,000
Common Stock [Member]
Share of treasury stock retired	(4,929,000)	(6,577,000)	(8,504,000)
Treasury stock retired, cost method	(49,000)	(66,000)	(85,000)
Retained Earnings Accumulated Deficit [Member]
Treasury stock retired, cost method	1,319,600,000	1,247,700,000
Additional Paid-in Capital [Member]
Treasury stock retired, cost method	(72,512,000)	(82,150,000)	(85,657,000)
January 1998 to August 25, 2012 [Member]
Stock repurchased during period, shares	131,100,000
Purchase of treasury stock	$ (1,362,869,000)