Unknown system variable 'SQL_MODE'

Hi,
This message happens on the step 2 of my installation : Unknown system variable 'SQL_MODE'.
MySQL is 4.0.24. Is it too old?
Thank you for your kind help.

Could it be that SQL_MODE function would be available only from upper version?
In that case, does someone knows if it's possible to upgrade myself mysql ?
Or would it be that there is an old aliens cimetery under my house???
(I am in deep despair...)

It is probably the aliens.. but yea I think maybe its too old mysql. You can try to comment that line out

and could a very patient person explain to a old stupid guy how to do that?

I'm having this same problem. Everything worked when I tried it out on my local server installation (EzPHP install), but when I uploaded it to the online 1and1 server I get the 'SQL_MODE' error. I hate to start dinking around with the code when I'm just getting my feet wet on this product and need to evaluate it ASAP for an upcoming project.

According to phpinfo, the mysql API is 5.0.67 (actually a higher version on the live server vs. my local test setup which is 5.0.22).

Me again. I found out that this is a general problem related to versions of SQL, etc. Commenting out the SET SQL_MODE line will probably not work, as it will get past that and then bomb out.

The issue appears to be the verison of the mySQL server itself (which is not the same as the version of the mysql or mysqli API that is shown in the phpinfo display). I found out that my web host (1and1) supports both V4 and V5 databases, and I happened to be trying to use an old one that had been created as V4. I should be able to create a new V5 database and take off from there!