Quoted from Kevlar:To answer my own question above, just replacing D9 wasn't going to do it. I just removed D9 after obtaining a replacement but on closer inspection there's further damage to the board beyond my capabilities to repair, a little square thing U9 looks blown. The board has to be replaced at my cost, it's barely more than a year old. The spike system is shit, no more Sterns for me!.
If D9 is just shorted think that would shut down the SMPS V-Reg but not damage other components. I think the bad stuff happens when D9 breaks open circuit.
If the board is out of warranty and you have the means to replace that part i'd go for it.
Make sure it really is just shorted. Its a Schottky diode with a very low forward voltage drop which will read differently than a typical rectifier type.