Can't Create OS or application media backup

Latitude E6540, Win 7

Repro steps:

Open the Dell Backup and Recovery Manager

Click the Dell Recovery Tools tab

Select Create OS or application media back (probably says more, but the font's too big for the dialog box)

(it switches to a new window "OS and Application Media")

Select Microsoft Windows 7 SP1 ENG Professional (the only option for me)

(info pops up to say this can only be done once)

Select Create Media

Click the radio button for Optical Media (DVD, etc)

I put in many formats of dvds and hit refresh but always the same message below

And at this point Place a blank optical media in the drive selected. appears

And the Create button never is selectable, so I'm stuck here for many many minutes.

If I plug in my USB drive the create button is there,  but I don't want to wipe out the USB,  I want to create a DVD backup.

I did the other option successfully  "Create a recovery disk or device" it works fine and created 2 DVDs.

Not sure why option 2 won't work of if it is required.

I am able to burn photos to disc with this drive, and I was just also able to create the Recovery disc with the other option on the main page Dell Recovery Tools tab, so some part of the larger Dell Backup and Recovery Manager can communicate with that DVD drive.  The disc as well has proven writable after failing to create my OS backup disc, too, so it shouldn't be a media problem.  (Standard DVD+R 4.7GB blanks of TDK or Fuji brands.)

Any clue as to whether I should expect this process to work?

I saw a similiar post from Jan 2013 but no answers.  I don't have anything else plugged into the laptop.  I removed all USB drives,  rebooted.  Tried all kinds of dvds no luck.