installing tile

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The best choice would be to add a cement board backer over the hardwood, fastening with ring-shank nails or screws according to manufacturer specifications. If this would build the floor up too high, just remove the hardwood floor to regain 3/4 inch height. That would allow installation of backer and tile matching the thickness of the current floor. Check to see if the wood floor runs under, or abutts to cabinets or permanent fixtures because it affects how difficult removing the floor will be. I would not hesitate to remove a nail-down floor that does not run under immobile objects.

You could probably get away with installing on the hardwood by lightly sanding any gloss and using a thinset to lay tile. This would not be as stable as cement board, and its possible that as the wood floor expands and contracts, tiles could come loose. You could get away with it, but I wouldnt recommend it. 1/4 inch thick cement backer would eliminate the effect of floor movement.