Answer
In ArcGIS versions 9.3.1 and earlier, access to metadata that was created in version 10 varies depending on the data being used.
· If a geodatabase has been upgraded to version 10, it cannot be accessed in version 9.3.1 or earlier and therefore cannot be viewed.
· If the data is a shapefile, the metadata can be viewed in earlier versions of ArcGIS as the style in which it was created.