Well done, ClementChong!
I applied your suggested technique, the computer booted, and with Linux kernel 3.13.0, the device was found and am currently "dd"'ing the drive. I used a two dollar roll of electrical tape found at Home Depot.
Have you found any performance impact with this configuration?
PS. For those trivia-minded reading along, this is the first, and perhaps only time, I have used the swiss army knife tweezer or toothpick, and remarkably, at the same time! So, they are useful apparently.