An optical information recording and reproducing apparatus that determines the quality of recorded information through a beta value from information on the amplitude of a reproduced signal and if the beta value is outside the permissible range, outputs information on error to a host computer. Immediately after the information is recorded the information is reproduced first and second kinds of information including information on the amplitude of the reproduced signal and performance information or error information obtained from a binarized signal of that reproduced signal, respectively are used to determine the quality of the reproduced signal. Recording power condition is changed based on the first kind of information and a recording pulse width condition or reproduction condition is changed based on the second kind of information to ensure the reliability of the information recorded.