PURPOSE: To use a floppy disc drive or the like having limited life effectively by controlling a floppy disc drive in accordance with the absence of an operator.

CONSTITUTION: To control a floppy disc drive 2 by outputting write data S2, a motor driving signal S4, a head load signal S5, etc. from a floppy disc driving controller 7 on the basis of a signal S1 from a CPU6, a detector 5 consisting of an infrared-ray discharger 5A and an infraredray detector 5B is arranged in the front of a body (unshown) incorporating the CPU6. An operator detecting signal S7 from the device 5 is inputted to gates G1, G2 to which signals S4, S5 are inputted, and when the absence of the operator is not detected, motor driving of a drive 2 is stopped and its head load is released.