Identify what the drive was used for
Google’s Android TV storage guidance explains that a drive configured for internal storage can hold more app data, while ordinary removable media serves a different purpose. Do not assume every USB drive connected to the TV is interchangeable.
Record whether the problem began after ejecting or changing that drive. The timing is useful evidence and does not by itself mean the streaming account has expired.
Avoid formatting as the first response
Changing a drive’s role can erase files or remove access to the existing app data. Keep a backup and read the device’s current instructions before accepting a format prompt. A new empty drive may not restore an application whose data lived on the previous one.
Use the normal supported reconnect/recovery route for the actual television or box. Do not apply an unrelated desktop formatting guide simply because the connector is USB.
Separate app availability from source playback
First establish that the application is present and opens. Then test its saved account and one authorised playback task. If the app needs reconfiguration, use the correct private source details rather than guessing from a cached thumbnail or old screenshot.
A media file on removable storage and application data on adopted storage are different things. The player’s file browser may show one while the operating system manages the other.
Keep a recoverable record
Record the device model, storage arrangement and application source. These details help avoid repeatedly reinstalling software onto a different storage location without knowing where the prior configuration was kept.