Optical recording and reproducing apparatus for controlling a laser

Abstract

In an optical information recording method and apparatus for performing the pre-write testing of test data for an optical recording medium connected to a host computer, an instruction for pre-write testing of test data inclusive of two predetermined continuous signals is received independently from a write command from the host computer. The pre-write testing of the test data is performed by supplying different laser driving currents for plural ones of pre-write testing areas of the optical recording medium to an optical information recording head in accordance with the pre-write testing instruction. The respective pre-write testing data are reproduced to determine a difference in an average voltage level between the two continuous signals of each test data. The laser driving current supplied for the pre-write testing of the test data indicative of the smallest value of the difference is set as a laser driving current which is to be supplied to the optical information recording head when the recording of user data is to be performed. A time interval until the next pre-write testing of test data is set in accordance with the set laser driving current. With the above construction, the pre-write testing can be eliminated at every write command requested from the host computer.