Copying static files from a referenced project to the test deployment directory for unit tests

I'm trying to configure Visual Studio's in-built test runner (msunit) to copy some static files to the output directory, but am so far unsuccessful.

The static files reside in a common test project which all the other test projects reference. The static files have

Build Action: Content  
Copy to Output Directory: Copy always

When each test project is built, the static files are copied to the \bin\Debug\ directory, but when the tests run and msunit copies everything to a \TestResults\ directory, these static files are not copied.

Copying the files to the output directory

According to this MSDN page,

To make additional files available during a test, such as test data or configuration files, incorporate the files into your project and set the Copy to Output property. If that is not practical, deploy additional files or directories by using the DeploymentItemAttribute on test classes or methods.

Taking these two suggestions in turn, the first I've tried without success... or must the static files be in each of the test projects? Is not enough to have them in a referenced project?

And as for the DeploymentItemAttribute, I really don't want to have to put this above every test class in every test project.

Running the tests in their original location

Another option would be to run the tests in their original location rather than deployed to the \TestResults\ directory, which I'd be happy to do if I could figure out how to configure such.

This MSDN page explains how to configure how the tests are run, though despite being the only page where the *.runsettings file is described, it's woefully short on detail. For example, it provides a sample wherein the <TestAdaptersPaths> element contains a dummy value, but doesn't explain what it can be replaced with.

And this *.runsettings file also doesn't explain if it's even possible to run the tests in the original output directory. This is something which is possible with the older *.testsettings file, but the documentation also says that a *.testsettings file may only be used in legacy mode, which is slow and not as robust; and although I may specify a *.testsettings file in the *.runsettings file, I would also then have to force the tests to run in legacy mode.

So it appears to be the case that the older version permitted a configuration setting which indicated that the tests should not be deployed to another directory, but that the new version doesn't support this (or doesn't document that it supports it).

Using xcopy

Here is another MSDN page wherein it is suggested to define a post-build task to xcopy the files into place. I've tried this as well and the files never appear in the deployment directory.

So in summary, everything I've tried has proven unsatisfactory. Could someone please explain how I can tell my test projects to copy static files from a referenced project into the deployment output directory (preferable), or how I can configure the tests to run in their original location?