| **Property and equipment, net (Tables)**                                                                                        | 12 Months Ended                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            |
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| **Property, Plant and Equipment [Abstract]**                                                                                    |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       |
| Schedule Of Property Plant And Equipment [Table Text Block]                                                                     | As of October 31,Property and equipment, net included the following: (in millions)2012 2011Land(A)$79 $52Buildings(A)520 387Leasehold improvements81 71Machinery and equipment2,504 2,309Furniture, fixtures, and equipment244 214Equipment leased to others301 291Construction in progress(A)159 309Total property and equipment, at cost3,888 3,633Less: Accumulated depreciation and amortization2,228 2,063Property and equipment, net$1,660 $1,570_______________ (A)We consolidated our executive management, certain business operations, and product development into a 1.2 million square foot, world headquarters site in Lisle, Illinois, which we completed in the first quarter of fiscal 2012, and we are consolidating our testing and validation center in our Melrose Park facility, which we expect to complete in 2013. Construction in progress includes amounts related to this activity. |
| Schedule Of Equipment Leased To Others And Assets Under Financing Arrangements And Capital Lease Obligations [Table Text Block] | As of October 31, equipment leased to others and assets under financing arrangements and capital lease obligations are as follows: (in millions)2012 2011Equipment leased to others$301 $291Less: Accumulated depreciation94 103Equipment leased to others, net$207 $188    Buildings, machinery, and equipment under financing arrangements and capital lease obligations$156 $100Less: Accumulated depreciation and amortization86 71Assets under financing arrangements and capital lease obligations, net$70 $29                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                |
| Schedule Of Depreciation Amortization Expenses And Interest Capitalized [Table Text Block]                                      | For the years ended October 31, 2012, 2011, and 2010, depreciation expense, amortization expense related to assets under financing arrangements and capital lease obligations, and interest capitalized on construction projects are as follows: (in millions)2012 2011 2010Depreciation expense$248 $260 $236Depreciation of equipment leased to others46 38 51Amortization expense4 1 2Interest capitalized9 18 4                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      |
| Schedule of Future Minimum Lease Payments for Capital Leases [Table Text Block]                                                 | Future minimum lease payments at October 31, 2012, for those leases having an initial or remaining non-cancelable lease term in excess of one year and certain leases that are treated as finance lease obligations, are as follows: (in millions)FinancingArrangementsand CapitalLease Obligations  OperatingLeases Total2013$69 $58 $127201429 54 8320159 50 5920169 42 5120179 37 46Thereafter39 125 164 164 $366 $530Less: Interest portion24    Total$140                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           |

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Schedule Of Depreciation Amortization Expenses And Interest Capitalized [Table Text Block]
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Schedule Of Equipment Leased To Others And Assets Under Financing Arrangements And Capital Lease Obligations [Table Text Block]
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No definition available.
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Schedule Of Property Plant And Equipment [Table Text Block]
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No definition available.
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Tabular disclosure of future minimum lease payments as of the date of the latest balance sheet presented, in aggregate and for each of the five years succeeding fiscal years, with separate deductions from the total for the amount representing executor costs, including any profit thereon, included in the minimum lease payments and for the amount of the imputed interest necessary to reduce the net minimum lease payments to present value.
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Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 840 -SubTopic 30 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (b) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6455398&loc=d3e45280-112737
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