an optical pickup which irradiates a light for performing the recording and/or reproduction of information for the optical pickup, receives a reflected light from the optical disk, converts it to an electric signal and outputs the signal,

a mobile motor which moves the optical pickup on the optical disk, a focus controller which focuses on a light irradiated from the optical pickup so as to locate a convergent point of the light on the optical disk,

a tracking controller which tracks on the focused-on light so as to locate it on the recording tracks,

an information reading means which reads information recorded on the optical disk based on the electric signal output from the optical pickup in the tracked-on state, and

an initial operation means which focuses on and tracks on the light from the optical pickup at an outer re-zeroing position only at a defined distance from the inner-most side of recording tracks of the optical disk when the optical disk is mounted to the device, and performs the reading of information from the optical disk,

the device comprises:

the initial operation means includes;

an information detection means which detects the presence or absence of information recorded on the optical disk based on an output signal from the optical pickup in the focused-on state, and

an information recording area search means which performs the reading of the tracked-on information if information exists on the optical disk as a result of detection at the re-zeroing position by the information detection means, detects the presence or absence of information by the information detection means in real time while moving the optical pickup in inward or outward direction of the optical disk in the focused-on state if no information exists on the optical disk, and stops the optical pickup to an area having information on the optical disk;

the information recording area search means includes;

a moving means of optical pickup which repeatedly moves the optical pickup from the inward to the outward direction of optical disk or from the outward to the inward direction of optical disk while detecting the presence or absence of information by the information detection means, and

a stopping means of the optical pickup which stops the movement of optical pickup if the information recording area having information is detected on the optical disk by the information detection means,

wherein the moving means of optical pickup repeatedly moves the optical pickup from the inward to the outward direction of optical disk or from the outward to the inward direction of optical disk until the information recording area is detected by the information detection means and, when the stop position of optical pickup after the information recording area is detected by the information detection means has passed through the information recording area and the information is unreadable, the moving velocity is switched to a low velocity and the return movement is further repeated.