In an optical pickup driving apparatus and method, a moving device is controlled when an objective lens is moved toward a recording surface and it is detected that the voltage of the focus error signal has reached a slice level voltage H corresponding to displacement of predetermined magnitude from a reference potential E. The objective lens is moved toward the recording surface by a maximum of an upper limit of a predetermined amount of movement and when the amount of movement of the objective lens reaches the predetermined amount of movement, so as to move the objective lens away from the recording surface. And when it is detected during a period of backward movement of the objective lens, that the voltage of the focus error signal has reached the second slice level voltage H corresponding to displacement of predetermined magnitude from the reference potential E, control of beam spot positioning is performed so as to focus an optical spot.