I've been lurking here for a year or so now, but finally got some money together for the build. I'm currently deployed, so I have the time and patience to research my first unRAID box for when I get home to build it in a few months.  After seeing dirtysanchez's build, based off of spencer's, I knew I would be essentially be cloning their excellent builds.

 

CPU: Intel Ivy Bridge Core i3-3220T Dual-Core Processor 2.8 Ghz 3MB Cache LGA 1155 35W

Motherboard: ASUS P8H77-I Mini ITX Intel Motherboard

RAM: Kingston HyperX 8GB (2 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800)

Case: LIAN LI PC-Q25B Black Aluminum Mini-ITX Tower

Power Supply: Rosewill CAPSTONE Series CAPSTONE-450-M 450W ATX12V

Cables: 5x StarTech Model SATA12 12" SATA Serial ATA Cable

Flash Drive: SanDisk Cruzer Fit 16 GB USB Flash Drive

Fans: None at this time, but I might upgrade like dirtysanchez did.

 

So, I know I am shamelessly ripping them off, but, dang, these builds look great. This will be my first time building any sort of computer, much less a server. And while I have the opportunity to wait to get good deals, I don't really have a chance to get my hands messy yet.  Do y'all recommend any particular guide for getting started with building a SFF computer?  Any tips/tricks/things that everyone should know that I probably don't?  I've seen on a lot of the builds labels for the HDD's and understand that concept.  Anything else that I should be thinking of in terms of things like that?  Any mistakes that you wish you wouldn't have made the first time around?

 

I'm missing out on these big box deals with the 4TB drives, but I'm hoping that they'll start to show up cheaper at Amazon soon...

I've built multiple computers in the past, so my server wasn't a first, although it was my first SFF build.  Just go slow and take your time.  Make sure you keep your cabling neat so you don't impede airflow too much.  Since you're going with the modular PSU you won't have the extra cables to tuck away at the top of the PSU like spencers and I did, so that should help.

 

With this particular case and PSU you will have to do a lot of the wiring with the PSU sitting outside the case (you can't access the motherboard while the PSU is in the case), so wire everything up then insert and mount the PSU.  Also it is a lot easier to install all the components on the motherboard (CPU, CPU heatsink, RAM, etc.) before you mount the motherboard in the case.

 

The only thing I wish I had done differently is using a modular PSU, but you've already addressed that.  Good luck and let us know how it goes.  If you have any issues, post or send a PM and I'll help however I can.