Have you checked BIOS to see if system is set to boot from floppy?

From what I've heard and found. This 386 system doesn't use a standard bios rom. It uses a disk to access bios setup? No "F2" on startup. Maybe I'm wrong? Need some assistance. Scratching my head on this one. So close.

I have either dos 6.22 and win95 ready to install. I think I need a new cmos battery (that may be root of issue?) Have a 4xAA battery holder on order too for cmos.

Thanks.

I was also suspecting cmos battery causing issues, have one on the way. I will go top down until I find a file to start this up. Do you think the file has to say startup or setup, or do you think it would be another utility in the list? What about a utility close to the date of manufacture (05/1990)? Model # D1470A

Here's the list:

http://www.hpmuseum.net/exhibit.php?swc=8
Software Selection:
1) Executive Spreadsheet (1985)
2) Executive Card Manager (1985)
3) Vectra Peripheral Exerciser (1985)
4) PC Instruments (1985)
5) Vectra CE Diagnostics (1985)
6) HP-IB Command Library (1986)
7) AdvanceMail For Vectra (1986)
​ HP-IB Diagnostic (1986)
9) Lotus 1-2-3 Ver 2.01 (1986)
10) Crosstalk 3.6 (1986)
11) Windows 1.03 Vectra (1986)
12) AdvanceWrite III F.01.01 (1986)
13) AdvanceLink 2392 (1986)
14) 82973A Software (1986)
15) HP BASIC for Vectra (1987)
16) Portable Vectra CS Diagnostic (1987)
17) NewWave 4.1 (1987)
1​ Expanded Memory Utilities (1987)
19) PASCAL 3.2 for Vectra (1987)
20) Portable CS EMS Adapter Software (1987)
21) Windows 2.03 Vectra (1987)
22) Vectra MS-DOS 3.2, Utilities and Supplemental Disc (1987)
23) Set Up Disc for Vectra CS Portable (1987)
24) Graphics Gallery For Vectra (1987)
25) Executive MemoMaker For Vectra (1987)
26) AdvanceLink For DOS (198​
27) 82329A Emulation Module Software (198​
2​ Microsoft OS/2 Ver 1.1 (198​
29) HP Terminal Program 5.25 inch (198​
30) AdvanceLink For Portable Vectra CS (198​
31) Executive MemoMaker For Portable Vectra CS (198​
32) VGA Utilities Disc (198​
33) HP Terminal Program 3.5 inch (198​
34) Set Up Disc for Vectra LS/12 (198​
35) Vectra MS-DOS 3.3 and Start up Disc (198​
36) HP OfficeShare Network (198​
37) PC Integration Products (1989)
3​ Measurement Coprocessor SW (1989)
39) Vectra RS/QS/ES Setup and Utilities (1989)
40) MS-DOS 4.01 for Vectra (1989)
41) Vectra QS 3.5 Inch Floppy Disc Drive Utilities (1989)
42) ARPA Services 2.1 (1989)
43) 82328A Graphics Controller Drivers (1989)
44) RF & Microwave AppCAD (1990)
45) HP OfficeFax (1990)
46) LIF Utilities for PC (1990)
47) NIC Software (1990)
4​ Reflection 4.01 (1990)
49) OpenView Hub Manager DOS (1990)
50) MS-DOS 5.0 for Vectra (1990)
51) SVGA Utilities and Drivers (1990)
52) Vectra 286/386 Setup and Utilities (1990)
53) EzTape For Vectra (1991)
54) LAN Manager X 386/486 (1991)
55) HP BASIC 6.2 (1991)
56) HP Software Vendor (1991)
57) HP ARPA SVCS 386/486 (1991)
5​ 495X PC Software (1991)
59) OpenView DTC Manager 10.5 (1991)
60) Advancelink for Windows/NewWave (1992)
61) ALLBASE/SQL PC API for the PC (1992)
62) 4990A ProveView Manager (1992)
63) HP Instrument BASIC (1992)
64) OpenView For DOS/Windows (1992)
65) Vectra 486N Utilities (1992)
66) Vectra 486U Utilities (1992)
67) Vectra 486U UVGA Utilities (1992)
6​ Windows 3.1 for Vectra (1992)
69) HP-IB Tools For Windows/DOS (1992)
70) NewWave Mail (1993)
71) LAN Manager v 2.2 (1993)
72) Vectra Diagnostic Utility (1993)
73) HP VEE For Windows (1993)
74) MS-DOS 6.0 (1994)
75) Dashboard for Windows (1994)

I have downloaded and tried so far:

Vectra RS/QS/ES Setup and Utilities
Vectra MS-DOS 3.3 and Start up Disc
Vectra 286/386 Setup and Utilities

Anyone have any suggestions?

Maybe #50 MS-DOS 5.0 for Vectra?

The machine dates to 1990; make sure what you downloaded is specific to that model number, and it is quite probable the CMOS cell is dead by now. The "Set Up Disc for Vectra LS/12" is the first thing I would consider. DOS 5, or possibly 6, should be the OS files; Windows 3.1 may run on that system but W95 will not (I had an IBM ca. 1993 that used DOS 6.3 and Windows 3.1, but they were on a CD with a common install) . The pertinent file for each should be a "setup", less likely "install"; there will usually, though not always, be a "setup.inf" or "install.inf" associated with the one you should run. At this stage don't be afraid to experiment with the different DOS versions or other software, there are no registries or profiles or accounts to deal with so if you make any mistakes just delete whatever is on the HD and try again.

A search for those file names should disclose what each is; you won't need, much less have space for, the majority of them.

Copies of some of the original documentation available here - http://www.hpmuseum.net/exhibit.php?hwdoc=222

The correct file for Vectra i386 (QS/16, QS/20 and QS/16S) is here:
https://archive.org/details/hp-vectra-qs-setu … .-setup-b.06.01