Yup you're right. Thanks for the hint about the inner join, thats alot cleaner method. Apologies but I'm new to SQL, still learning.

Just a means to end.

ok no worries. I'll read up on it.

thanks for the pointer

can you elaborate?

what wrong with using cursor?

erm thanks.......

Bit if sleep helped and figured it outmyself. I've left this here incase anyone needs stumbles on the thread in the future.

USE Data

GO

DECLARE @SearchString varchar(MAX)

DECLARE @SearchCount int

DECLARE mapper_cursor...

DECLARE @StringtoCompare varchar(MAX)

DECLARE @FullString varchar(max)

SET @StringtoCompare =

(SELECT Text FROM SCOM_MONITOR_MAP

WHERE NetBiosName = 'SERVER1')

SET @Fullstring= 'The process started at 16:03:14 failed to create System.PropertyBagData. Errors found in output'

PRINT @StringtoCompare

PRINT @FullString

something...