If you're planning to keep the drive through future upgrade systems, the best option is an external USB drive.  Fewer and fewer systems are equipped with the ability to take an internal optical drive these days -- by the time you buy your next system, the option will likely be gone.

Always include exact PC model and version of Windows in your posts.

Have you tried a different batch and/or different brand of discs? 

Put a music or data disc that you've burned and works (not a commercial audio disc) in the drive. Shut PC down normally (not a Restart from inside Windows).

Then power PC on and tap F12 when you see the Dell screen to open that menu. Select the option to run diagnostics and test the optical drive.  That may tell you if it's the drive or the discs you're trying to burn.

Note: the disc has to be in the drive before you power PC on or the drive will fail, even if it's good.  

@ejn63​ Thank you.  I thought that may be the case when you said, the option will likely be gone.  Is it worth buying an optical drive and if so do you know any worth investing in?

I have a DELL desktop Inspiron 3670 (purchased June '19)

Thank you for your time.

Scott

@RoHe​ Sorry, I forgot the most important part.

I have a DELL desktop Inspiron 3670 (purchased June '19) Windows 10

I'll go ahead and try running diagnostics to see if that helps.  Is it worth buying an optical drive and if so do you know any worth investing in?

Thank you for your time.

Scott

Other pieces of important missing info are whether the existing drive can still play music discs and/or read data discs that you previously burned on this PC, and what software you're using to burn new discs.

Read this from Dell with lots of things to check out before replacing the drive.

In the end, only you can decide whether it's worth buying a new (USB) optical drive. Sounds like you have a collection of music discs, so if you want to continue burning/playing them, you may want to get a USB replacement, as @ejn63 already said, because pre-built PCs don't typically come with an internal optical drive nowadays...

@RoHe​ Everything checks out on the Dell link you sent me. 

Are the USB replacement, is that something that I can do myself?  I'm going to buy a portable optical drive.  Yes, I use MAXWELL maxdata CD-R blank discs 700mb 80min for my music.  

I do appreciate your help & time.

So the drive still plays the music CDs you burned with it?

Did you run the diagnostics from the F12 menu, and re-install your burning software, and/or try a different (free) CD burning app?

A USB optical drive isn't any more difficult to use than any other USB device. Just plug it in, and install its driver, if required...

You have two USB 3.1 Gen 1 ports on front of this PC, so you want to get a  drive that supports USB 3.1 Gen 1. The four USB ports on rear of PC are only USB2, so they'll give slow performance if used with a USB 3.1 drive...

It's possible the laser in your DVD/CD burner is on it's way out.

If you choose an external burner, try to get a full size one that uses external power (plugs into household outlet).  Slim units that draw power and data from one USB port work slower.

@RoHe​ I just did my diagnostics test an passed with no issues or errors. 

@bradthetechnut​ The laser may be on its last look leg.  Can you recommend any external burners?

Get one from a reputable brand with a decent warranty, not some cheap 'off-brand' you never heard of...

ASUS DVD burner on Amazon

Not cheap, I know.  That where the advanatage of slower slim drives come in.  Asus Zen slim drive looks like it might be a good one.  Check the reviews.

So, I found my problem.  The MAXELL blank CD-R was the problem.  I used Verbatim CD-R on two different burner apps and had no problem with either one. 

Glad you found a solution without needing a replacement drive. 

I did ask if you tried a different batch and/or a different brand of discs...

Glad you got it working and I'm surprised the Maxell CD's are giving you trouble.  Maxell CD's have hung on to data longer than some of my other CD's.

There's also the possibility of as a laser starts to go out, it gets more finicky.  Did you try cleaning the laser lens at all?