SQL Server 2005 Setting a variable to the result of a select query

You can use something like

SET @cnt = (SELECT COUNT(*) FROM User)

or

SELECT @cnt = (COUNT(*) FROM User)

For this to work the SELECT must return a single column and a single result and the SELECT statement must be in parenthesis.

Edit: Have you tried something like this?

DECLARE @OOdate DATETIME

SET @OOdate = Select OO.Date from OLAP.OutageHours as OO where OO.OutageID = 1

Select COUNT(FF.HALID) 
from Outages.FaultsInOutages as OFIO 
inner join Faults.Faults as FF 
    ON FF.HALID = OFIO.HALID 
WHERE @OODate = FF.FaultDate
    AND OFIO.OutageID = 1