how should i deploy resources like icons?

What is the best practice for deploying / packaging resources like icons? I'd like to avoid loose files due to the number of ico开发者_Python百科ns. Can I create a "resource" dll in visual studio? If so, is this the best way to go? What is the process?

Yes, embedded resources are the way to go.

See Adding a file to a project, that will be added to the exe, and be accessable at runtime and Example code required for how to access embedded .Net image resources in C# for details.