Inspiron 3670, CD/DVD format option missing

Sorry if I'm opening an old thread -- I don't see that any "thumbs up" were posted to the above answers, so I don't know if anybody has seen an actual resolution.  The situation described in the original post matches my current condition.  

While my condition is matched by the original post, here are a couple of other items to chew on:

• I have two CD/DVD drives.  One internal; one external.  I've tried using both (for writing data) to no avail.  Both drives can successfully read data, so I don't think I have two drives that have failed.  (One was fairly recently purchased from the cage at a local big box.)
• I have a large quantity of blank CD-Rs from three different manufacturers.  I've tried at least one from each provider, but without success.  I've also tried grabbing them from further down on the spindle, in case the top ones were somehow damaged during packaging.
• I have Power2Go installed, and can rip CDs -- but, if selected as a write destination, it provides the same error as the original posting.  ("Windows can't read . . . use a format," etc.)  It successfully burns to the hard drive, instead.  
• I've utilized Device Manager to uninstall both drives; rebooted; and allowed for automated reinstall.  Still, no joy.
• I've used Disk Manager to "find" the Format option for my drives, but it still throws that old familiar tune about Can't Read.

I'm confident the problem is solvable -- I just have no clue on what to do next.  I trust you folks who may have fiddled more with issues like this.  Any thoughts?  (Other than "abandon all hope"?)

Thanks in advance -- and I will follow-up and let you know if your suggestion has worked.  

J