From dmesg:
------------------------------------------------------------
ata3.00: exception Emask 0x0 SAct 0x0 SErr 0x0 action 0x0
ata3.00: cmd f9/00:01:6f:59:1c/00:00:00:00:00/4d tag 0 cdb 0x0 data 0 
         res 51/10:01:6f:59:1c/00:00:00:00:00/4d Emask 0x81 (invalid argument)
ata3.00: Host Protected Area detected:
	current size: 268435454 sectors
	native size: 488397168 sectors
ata3.00: n_sectors mismatch 48744704 != 268435454
ata3.00: revalidation failed (errno=-19)
ata3.00: limiting speed to UDMA/133:PIO3
ata3: failed to recover some devices, retrying in 5 secs
ata3: soft resetting port
ata3.00: Host Protected Area detected:
	current size: 268435454 sectors
	native size: 488397168 sectors
ata3.00: Host Protected Area detected:
	current size: 268435454 sectors
	native size: 488397168 sectors
ata3.00: configured for UDMA/133
ata3: EH complete
sd 4:0:0:0: [sda] 268435454 512-byte hardware sectors (137439 MB)
sd 4:0:0:0: [sda] Write Protect is off
sd 4:0:0:0: [sda] Mode Sense: 00 3a 00 00
sd 4:0:0:0: [sda] Write cache: enabled, read cache: enabled, doesn't support DPO or FUA
ata3.00: exception Emask 0x0 SAct 0x0 SErr 0x0 action 0x0
ata3.00: cmd f9/00:01:6f:59:1c/00:00:00:00:00/4d tag 0 cdb 0x0 data 0 
         res 51/10:01:6f:59:1c/00:00:00:00:00/4d Emask 0x81 (invalid argument)
ata3.00: Host Protected Area detected:
	current size: 268435454 sectors
	native size: 488397168 sectors
ata3.00: Host Protected Area detected:
	current size: 268435454 sectors
	native size: 488397168 sectors
ata3.00: configured for UDMA/133
ata3: EH complete
sd 4:0:0:0: [sda] 268435454 512-byte hardware sectors (137439 MB)
sd 4:0:0:0: [sda] Write Protect is off
sd 4:0:0:0: [sda] Mode Sense: 00 3a 00 00
sd 4:0:0:0: [sda] Write cache: enabled, read cache: enabled, doesn't support DPO or FUA

From running ibmsetmax /dev/sda:
-------------------------------------------
root[sdb1]# ./ibmsetmax /dev/sda
Using device /dev/sda
native max address: 268435454
that is 137438952960 bytes, 137.4 GB
lba capacity: 268435454 sectors (137438952448 bytes)
root[sdb1]# ./ibmsetmax -m 488397168 /dev/sda
Using device /dev/sda
setting delta=488397168
nativemax=268435454 (0xffffffe)
HDIO_DRIVE_CMD_AEB failed SET_MAX: Input/output error
81 = 0x51
16 = 0x10
1 = 0x1
111 = 0x6f
89 = 0x59
28 = 0x1c
77 = 0x4d