PURPOSE: To reduce the cost of an information recorder and to shorten the time until access to a data base is enabled.

CONSTITUTION: Error information concerning the operation error of the information recorder is written in the history recording area of an optical disk 1 as history information. On the other hand, operation information concerning the operating state of the information recorder corresponding to the optical disk 1 is written in the history recording area of the optical disk 1 as history information. When the optical disk 1 is mounted on the information recorder, the operation information is read out of the history recording area, and the operating state such as the write light quantity or various servo constants of the information recorder is decided based on the operation information.