prepare() vs query() mysqli

Question

I am trying to understand the difference between mysqli's query() and prepare(). I have code like below, and I would like to get the same results from both. However the prepare() does not work as expected. why?

  // this works

  if ($query = $this->db->query("SELECT html FROM static_pages WHERE page = 'cities'")) {

     $result = $query->fetch_row();
     echo $result[0];

  $query->close();

  }

  //this does not work
  //result is empty

     $cities = 'cities';

     $stmt = $this->db->prepare("SELECT html FROM static_pages WHERE page = ?");
     $stmt -> bind_param("s", $cities);
     $stmt->execute();
     $stmt->bind_result($result);
     $stmt->fetch();
     echo $result;
     $stmt->close();

     $this->db->close();

these are my server configs as requested:

OS

Vista 64bit / PHP Version 5.2.9

mysqli

MysqlI Support enabled

Client API library version 5.0.51a

Client API header version 5.0.51a

MYSQLI_SOCKET /tmp/mysql.sock

Directive Local Value Master Value

mysqli.default_host no value no value

mysqli.default_port 3306 3306

mysqli.default_pw no value no value

mysqli.default_socket no value no value

mysqli.default_user no value no value

mysqli.max_links Unlimited Unlimited

mysqli.reconnect Off Off

Answer 1

Can you try $stmt->store_result(); between $stmt->execute(); and $stmt->bind_result($result); ?