First, you will find USB 1.0 or 1.1 extremely limiting for data back-up. Are you sure there isn't a 1394/Firewire port on the computer?

Second, USB drives are completely idiot-proof. You plug them in and the operating system does the job of connecting them. There are no drivers or special software required for any of them. Just plug them in, wait a few seconds and they'll show up under My Computer.